The Samurai of Tomorrow
by Lady Jaye1
Summary: Rurouni Kenshin x Inuyasha. Kenshin finds that he is the reincarnation of someone from the Feudal Era.
1. Death of an Inu Youkai

****

The Samurai of Tomorrow

"Inuyasha, ye must do this."

Inuyasha frowned at the Shikon Jewel in his right hand. They had always debated what to do with it. But he never thought they might have to use it for this. He'd never dreamed he'd have to use it to help Seshoumaru.

"Inuyasha!" Kaede was running out of patience. She knew what those dreams had meant now.

Kagome stood nearby biting her fingernails. The cold Lord of the West had ended up fighting with them against Naraku, although his reason remained unknown. Now Naraku was dead....and Seshoumaru was quickly following him. Miroku put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Look Inuyasha, I don't want the Shikon no Tama used this way either. However, your brother's own soul is in peril. It is slowly disintegrating as we speak."

__

No. Inuyasha didn't want to use the Jewel on Him. But...he was his brother, no matter what he'd done in the past. Besides, he had helped to defeat Naraku. Seshoumaru's very soul had been damaged in the battle. The hanyou saw Sango looking intently at him and Inuyasha glared at her. Then he glared at the jewel.

"Tell me Old Lady, why should I care?" he growled. "Why's it so important anyway if he gets reincarnated or not?" _That's it Inuyasha, act like you don't care_, he thought.

"Inuyasha!" Kaede had had enough. There wasn't any time left. "Because...because much depends upon this Inuyasha. Even if it did not, I would not wish such a fate upon even ye brother."

The Hanyou stared at the broken, bloody body of his older brother. The little human girl he traveled with didn't even know the youkai's fate yet. He sighed deeply and finally held out the clawed hand to the old woman. Kaede took the Shikon no Tama and placed it over Seshoumaru's soul. His soul glowed brightly, causing the Jewel to flare up as well. The two golden globes seemed to hang in stillness for an eternity before they merged together and vanished. Seshoumaru was dead, but his soul yet lived.

Everyone stood in breathless silence before little Shippo spoke up in a tiny voice from behind Kagome.

"Kaede?"

"Yes Shippo?" The old woman looked fondly at the little Kitsune.

"Why's it so important that Seshoumaru be reborn?" The old priestess smiled.

"Because the person he becomes is needed." Then the last of her visions came upon her. She saw Seshoumaru walking down a road toward a blazing red sun. He began to slow down until finally he stopped and turned in her direction. His tall frame shrank and his silver Youkai hair turned bright red. Golden eyes now glistened sapphire blue while his youkai face melted into a human one. A cross-shaped scar appeared on one cheek. The now human Seshoumaru unsheathed the sword at his hip. But instead of pulling out the Tenseiga, he pulled out a strange sword with a backward blade. To the left of the now human swordsman, Kaede saw blood and violence. On his right side, there was a soft, warm light. The priestess could just barely make out the images of a boy, two women, and a man in a group of people that had appeared within the light. The red-haired Samurai sheathed his sword and headed back into the setting sun.

"Lady Kaede?" The concerned voice of Miroku brought Kaede out of the vision.

"I'm fine Miroku, thank you," she said and stared into the sun. _Because the person he becomes_ _is needed_, she thought. Seshoumaru, Youkai Lord of the West....Himura Kenshin, Samurai of Tomorrow.

__

Author's Note: This is a one-shotter. If there is enough interest, I'll write a longer piece about Kenshin as a reborn Seshoumaru.


	2. Sanosuke's Mouth and Jaken's Oath

_Author's Note: It's been awhile since I wrote the first chapter. It was originally written as a one-shot. Since then I've learned that Kenshin actually wasn't a samurai, but an assassin for the Ishin Shishi. However, I've decided to keep the title the same. My reason for this is that the term "Samurai of Tomorrow" comes from Kaede in regards to her vision. To her, Kenshin appeared to be a samurai in her visions._

**Chapter 2: Sanosuke's Mouth and Jaken's Oath**

The human stared thoughtfully down at the dice. After a moment of deliberation, he finally answered.

"Ten."

"You're sure?"

"No."

"Kenshin!"

"Eleven."

"Are you sure this time?"

"No."

"Dammit Kenshin!" Sagara Sanosuke fumed at the red-haired swordsman before finally throwing the dice down and yelling 'eleven.' The former fighter for hire anxiously watched as the twin dice slowly came to a stop with the number seven.

"No!!"

"I guess that's more you owe us, Sano," said the man seated across from the tall brunette and his red-haired companion. Sanosuke glared at him and his other two buddies in front of him. He muttered a few choice words before grabbing his red-haired friend, Himura Kenshin, and began shaking him furiously.

"Kenshin!! How can you be so good with swords and so bad with dice?!"

"Umm…"

"I mean, how hard can it be to at least get one number right?!"

"Uhh…"

"Hey Sano, you gonna pay us or what?"

"Hold on! I'm busy!" Sano glared down at the swirly-eyed swordsman. _What am I doing? I know Kenshin's not a good gambler. I've tried this before and it didn't work. So much for wishful thinking._

"Hey Kenshin, do you think Kaoru would lend me money?"

Kenshin's eyes regained their focus as he gave his friend a doubtful look.

"This one doubts it," Kenshin answered.

"Damn."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"How can they just go off and gamble like that?! Don't they know it's illegal?!" Kamiya Kaoru yelled. Her young apprentice managed to duck the angry swing of her wooden sword. They were currently training up at the shrine.

"I just can't figure out why the heck Sanosuke keeps dragging Kenshin along," Myoujin Yahiko said. "He's pretty pathetic when it comes to gambling, it's not like Kenshin helps that bum win or anything."

"That's not the point!" Kaoru furiously brought her sword down again and again.

"Geez, get a grip already."

"Shut up!"

They heard the front gate swing shut as Kenshin and Sanosuke entered the Kamiya dojo.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru ran down the stone steps to the red-haired swordsman, her earlier anger forgotten. Yahiko sighed and muttered something about women before following after his master. The boy walked over and poked the taller man with his bokken.

"Hey Rooster Head, did you actually win anything this time?" He jumped as Sanosuke growled at him before innocently turning to Kaoru.

"Hey Kaoru…"

"No," she answered.

"I didn't even finish!"

"You didn't have to! You were going to ask for money and the answer is no!"

Sanosuke gave a sigh. _I knew it was too much to hope for. _He tried to ignore the I-told-you-so look on Kenshin's face before giving up and pointing an accusing finger at him.

"You made me lose!"

"I would think by now that you would have realized that I'm not good at gambling, that I'm not."

"Sanosuke, why don't you actually try working for a change?" Kaoru asked.

"Sanosuke? Work?" Yahiko laughed. "Yeah, right. I'd like to see that!" Sanosuke glared at the two of them before replying icily.

"I _used _to have a job."

"What? You mean as Zanza, the fighter for hire?"

"……….."

"That wasn't a job!"

"Yeah, maybe not, but it made money."

"Hmm, you're right…" The three males didn't like the look on Kaoru's face as she thought about that. She suddenly brightened and pumped a fist into the air.

"That's it! That's the answer!" The other three sweat dropped as they stared at her.

"Oro?" A very wary Kenshin asked.

"I know I'm going to regret this, but that's the answer to what?" Sano added.

"You and Kenshin can be fighters for hire! It's the perfect answer to our money problems! You just catch some bad guys, turn them in to the police, and get money!"

"Umm, Miss Kaoru…" Kenshin said.

"You can be like bounty hunters!"

"Umm, Miss Kaoru…"

"So much for the sword that protects people," Yahiko said.

"Hey! It's only for a little while! Besides, they're still protecting people; they'd just be getting paid while they did it!"

"Uhh, Kaoru…" Sano said.

"Come on Sanosuke, it's perfect! You can actually be useful for once!"

"Hey!"

"Miss Kaoru…"

"Useful for once?! What the hell does that mean?!"

"Exactly like it sounds, you freeloader!"

"Miss Kaoru…"

"What Kenshin?" Kaoru finally answered him. Kenshin gave her an innocent look before continuing.

"This one does not wish to be a fighter for hire." The glare from Kaoru told him all he needed to know for her answer. An hour later, he and Sanosuke were looking at the wanted posters hanging around town.

"Sano?"

"Yeah, what?"

"You have a very big mouth, that you do."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"What?! My Lord is dead?!"

Inuyasha clutched his sensitive ears as he glared down at the small, toad youkai.

"Isn't that what I just said?" he growled. Jaken stared wide-eyed up at the hanyou before blinking away a tear. This surprised Inuyasha. _He actually cared that much for Seshoumaru? _He turned his golden eyes to give a sympathetic look at the little human girl curled up in Kagome's arms. Shippo, who was perched on her shoulders, was also trying to calm the distressed mortal.

Rin sniffed as Kagome gently rubbed her back. Her Lord was gone….what was going to happen to her now? Kagome felt her heart break as the little girl sobbed into her shirt. She brought a hand up and brushed it through the young human's black hair. _Poor girl. Seshoumaru couldn't have been all that bad if she mourns him this much._

Miroku watched as Inuyasha gave a face that was a mix of disgust and sympathy as Jaken grabbed his right leg and began bawling into it. The monk flexed his hand, which was now free of the curse that had plagued him from birth. The wind tunnel was gone. Despite his injuries, it was a wonderful feeling.

He walked over to the distraught Jaken, who was still clinging to Inuyasha's leg.

"I understand your pain Jaken, but perhaps it would comfort you to know that Seshoumaru will be reincarnated some day."

The shocked little youkai pulled away from a grateful Inuyasha, who began to brush at his now soaking wet pant leg.

"R..really? My Lord's coming back?! When?!" Miroku waved a hand at Jaken.

"Calm down, it won't be anytime soon. According to Lady Kaede, his reincarnation will occur in two or three centuries from now, roughly a century and a half before Kagome's time."

"Two or three centuries?!" Jaken yelled, dismayed.

"Yes, and there is something else I feel I must tell you."

"Something else?"

"Yes. Seshoumaru will be reincarnated not as a youkai, but as a human." Miroku heard a hrumph from Inuyasha as Jaken gave a gasp. It was understandable. They were having a hard time visualizing Seshoumaru being reborn as a human. Inuyasha had actually given a bitter laugh, saying that it served him right. However, Miroku thought, if Kagome was any indication, then his reincarnation could very well be as different as Kagome was from Kikyo.

Jaken stared wide-eyed up at the human before turning his gaze over to the Tenseiga and the Toukijin. His master's swords were lying next to a seated Sango and Kirara, both badly injured from the battle with Naraku. _My Lord…_ The small youkai shook his head and wiped his tears away. His lord was going to be reincarnated as a mortal? The mere thought of it was ghastly. But still…

_I'll wait for you, my Lord. Even if you will be a human, I'll wait for you. I, Jaken, pledge to care for your great swords until you return. Then I'll proudly serve you again!_

A small smile graced the lips of the ugly little youkai.

_I will wait for you, Lord Seshoumaru._

………………………………………………………………………………………

_Author's Note: For those of you that don't know, "Oro?" basically means "What?" or "Huh?" Kenshin says it quite a bit in the manga and in the Japanese dialogue of the series I believe as well._


	3. A Call from the Shadows

**Chapter 3: A Call from the Shadows**

"Feh," Inuyasha said. The others rolled their eyes as Jaken managed to smack the stubborn hanyou across the forehead with his staff.

"Why the hell did you do that for!" Inuyasha yelled.

"You ungrateful dog!" Jaken yelled back. Inuyasha glowered at the small youkai. Miroku, Kagome, Shippo, Rin and Kaede were quietly watching the argument. Kohaku and Sango would have been there too, but they were resting inside from their injuries with Kirara. Sango's brother had died when Naraku had taken the jewel shard from his back, but Sesshoumaru had used the Tenseiga to restore him to life. The inu youkai's explanation for his action had been that Naraku wanted Kohaku dead, so to spite him, Sesshoumaru had brought him back to life. Kagome had found herself doubting his reason, secretly believing that Inuyasha's older brother actually did have a heart.

"I'm not doing it!" Inuyasha yelled and managed to duck another swipe of Jaken's staff.

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"YES!"

"NO!"

"Well this is going no where fast," Miroku remarked. Kagome sighed before yelling Inuyasha's most hated word.

"Sit!"

Inuyasha immediately bit dirt, hardly the image of the new Lord of the Western Lands. Which happened to be the source of the hanyou's and the miniature youkai's quarrel.

Jaken gave an irritated sigh and shook his head in dismay. Inuyasha was so hotheaded, unlike his older brother. Wait…that might do it.

"I suppose you're right, Inuyasha. One can't expect such an ungrateful son, a hanyou no less, to rule his father's great land. How could I expect you of all people to take your brother's place to protect the Western lands from fiends…" Jaken paused as Myoga jumped onto his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "…and wolves?" he added.

Inuyasha's ears perked up immediately.

"Wolves?" he growled.

Jaken nodded his head vigoursly as the flea youkai spoke up.

"Yes, Lord Inuyasha. Please listen to Jaken. If you do nothing, your father's lands will come to ruin now that Sesshoumaru is dead. You must rule the Western lands now…"

"Hah! I'll do it! I can't let wolf scum wander into _my _lands! Heh, I'll kill Kouga the moment I even smell his scrawny hide nearby…"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. Jaken smiled to himself as he whispered to Myoga.

"Good thinking Myoga."

"Yes, fortunately Lord Inuyasha is very predictable."

"What are you two whispering about?" The new Lord of the West asked.

"Nothing!" they both yelled.

"Tch, sure…"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The two men gave each other surprised looks as they surveyed the scene in front of them.

"Well this is pathetic," Sanosuke said.

"Sano, are you sure that these are the men?"

Sanosuke flipped through the wanted papers that he had snagged from near the diner. He looked down, then up, down again, then up before scratching his head.

"Yeah, these are the guys alright. What a bunch of pushovers. Kind of makes you wonder how competent the police are if they haven't caught these morons yet."

The three wanted men in question were suspects in several thefts, arson, and an attempted murder. They were currently lying in a drunken stupor.

Kenshin sighed; he'd rather be back at the dojo than doing this.

"Very well, I suppose we should round them up, that we should," he said instead. The swordsman just wanted to get this over with so he could go back home. His friend gave a disappointed sigh.

"I wanted a fight," Sanosuke complained. In a fit of agitation, he yelled at the trio.

"You're not supposed to be drunk!" The drunken trio just gave him confused looks. Kenshin waved his hands at the infuriated Sanosuke.

"It will be all right Sano. I'm sure you'll find someone else to fight, that you will."

"You're right, let's take these guys in to the police and go after some more!"

"Oro?"

"Yeah, one of the other guys is bound to put up a fight!"

Kenshin sighed again as he wished he'd kept his mouth closed. It was going to be a long night.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"It's so nice to be able to eat out for once without me paying for it!" Kaoru exclaimed happily.

"I'm just surprised that you actually got Sanosuke to make any money," Takani Megumi added, the apprentice doctor having joined them for dinner.

"Yeah, well fighting's about the only thing we can get Sanosuke to do," Yahiko said.

"Except for eating and sleeping," Kaoru added.

"Don't forget gambling and drinking!" exclaimed Yahiko.

"That too."

Neither Kenshin nor Sanosuke bothered to enter the conversation. The swordsman blinked tiredly at his bowl of soup. Sanosuke had insisted on running around the whole night. Somewhere around 4:00 in the morning, he'd actually pondered the un-Kenshin like thought of throttling his tall friend.

Sanosuke glared moodily at his drink. None of the wanted men they had captured had put up a decent fight. The only half-way decent fight that he had found was the one that he had sort of started at one of the local bars. Sano swore that Kenshin had actually seemed ready to kill him after that.

But still, the night's events had left him in a sour mood. The only bright point was that after he and Kenshin had divided the money, Sanosuke had been able to pay off about half of his debts.

Yahiko noticed the withdrawn looks on the older men's faces. After eating through his second helping, he finally spoke to them.

"Come on, it couldn't have been that bad!" Sanosuke grumbled to himself as Kenshin took a long sip of tea. "I can't believe this! You two caught every person on the police's wanted list in one night! Why don't you two cheer up? It's not like you're going out again tonight." Sanosuke grumbled again but Kenshin seemed to perk up slightly before he cracked a huge yawn.

"This one will turn in early tonight, that he will."

After dinner, the five of them walked back to the dojo in the fading light. They were talking quietly among themselves when Kenshin suddenly stopped in his tracks. He stared hard at a nearby bush as the others became instantly alert.

"What is it Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.

"This one does not know. But for a moment, I felt a presence there, that I did."

Sanosuke kicked at the tall bush before peering inside. He walked off the path into the wooded area and peered around, but it was hard to see anything in the dim light.

"Well, whoever was here is gone now," he said. He turned to look at his red-haired friend. "What?"

Kenshin shook himself. He still felt as if there was something out there. Involuntarily, he felt his hand reach towards the woods before he pulled it back in surprise.

"What are you doing, Sir Ken?" Megumi asked.

"I…I'm not sure," Kenshin admitted. His fingers itched, as if they wanted desperately to grab something. "It's almost as if something out there is calling me." He looked at the concerned faces of his friends before giving a slightly embarrassed laugh.

"I'm sure it's nothing," he said. "It's probably just from not having any sleep last night, that it is." Sanosuke gave him a look that told the swordsman that he wasn't convinced. Tired or not, Kenshin never made a mistake when it came to his instincts.

"You want to look around Kenshin?" he asked.

Kenshin stared into the brush for a few moments before replying.

"No Sano. Let's just return to the dojo." Kenshin started walking on the path again. The others gave each other doubtful looks before following their friend. The swordsman didn't say anything, but he still felt a strong pull on his mind. Something was calling to him. He just didn't know what.

After several long minutes had passed, a small creature heaved a sigh of relief. It dug itself out of the pile of dead leaves, groaning at the aches in his aging body. The creature looked around before pulling two swords from underneath the pile. One of the swords in particular was pulsating softly.

"Ah, Tenseiga! You feel your master nearby, don't you!" Jaken told the sword. The old youkai gazed down the path before speaking to himself. "So that _was _Lord Sesshoumaru! Incredible! I've finally found him!"

A soft snap of a twig reached his ears and he spun around. Standing right behind him was a young female youkai. She had long black hair tied behind in a high ponytail, and green eyes that gleamed from her face. The young youkai could be no older than seventy, perhaps eighty, considering that she appeared to be about twelve years old in human years. After getting over his initial shock, Jaken also realized that she was a kitsune once he saw the fox tail. Which would explain why he hadn't noticed her until now.

"Is that the Tenseiga and the Toukijin?" She asked innocently, but her eyes flashed playfully.

"How do you know that?"

She grinned at him then and Jaken knew who this kit was. He'd seen her older siblings and he knew her parents quite well. There was no doubt as to who's child this was. If the young kit was here, then the father must be as well.

"Lord Shippo!" Jaken yelled frantically as the young girl pounced on him. Nothing.

"Shippo!" he yelled again. "Call your young whelp off of me at once!"

A low chuckle came from a tree stump near the old youkai and the young kitsune. Jaken realized then that the girl's father had been there the whole time. The image of the tree stump vanished to reveal the form of a fully grown kitsune, his proud tail swishing back and forth. His long red hair was tied back neatly behind his head as his green eyes flashed at the pair of small youkai. The man's elegant, dark blue clothes were embroidered in green with the images of falling leaves. A forest green obi sash adorned his waist line. As he stepped nimbly out of the brush with his fox feet, Jaken eyed the sword at his hip. The Kadouki was another of Totousai's impressive creations, made for the kitsune on order of Inuyasha when he had become a teenager.

Shippo called his youngest daughter off of the aging youkai as he stepped up to the pair. Then the fox youkai bent down and carefully picked up Jaken, bringing him up to eye level.

"So, old man, you found Sesshoumaru, eh?"


	4. Night Reflections

**Chapter 4: Night Reflections**

"So, old man, you found Sesshoumaru, eh?" Jaken felt himself quail under the kitsune's intense gaze, but slowly he managed to gather his courage.

"Shippo! Put me down you damnable fox!" The kitsune blinked in surprise before throwing back his head in laughter. He then carefully set the small youkai down, still chuckling to himself.

"Forgive me Jaken, I did not mean to frighten you," Shippo said with a grin.

"What are you talking about Dad? You were…" Shippo placed a hand over his daughter's mouth, but Jaken was already glaring up at him.

"Shippo!"

"Okay, I admit it. I wanted to see you sweat."

Jaken still glared at him. _Typical kitsune, always having to play their tricks! Of course it doesn't help that he had Lord Inuyasha as a father figure growing up. _Jaken took a moment to study the younger kitsune. She definitely had her father's eyes and tail, but otherwise she was her mother's daughter. The child had her mother's black hair and intense pride.

"Sango has certainly grown, hasn't she?" Jaken asked. The last time that he had seen young Sango was when she was a toddler. Shippo smiled warmly down at his youngest child as he placed a clawed hand gently on her head.

"Indeed she has," the kitsune agreed.

"I killed my first youkai eight years ago Mr. Jaken!" Sango exclaimed excitedly, still proud at her achievement. She had been with her older sisters on that day. The young kitsune had dragged her prize all the way home to show her parents, much to the amusement of her sisters.

"Is that so?" Jaken asked.

"Yeah, it was a huge boar youkai!" She stretched her arms as if to emphasize her point. Shippo chuckled softly to himself as a fierce sense of pride filled his heart. Sango had insisted on sending one of the boar's teeth to an amused Inuyasha. The hanyou Lord had placed the tooth on a cord that he now wore around his neck. Inuyasha still wore the enchanted necklace placed on him by Kaede and Kagome. Sometimes Shippo yelled 'Sit!' just to make him jump. The end result would usually have Inuyasha chase him around with his sword until he calmed down.

Shippo turned his attention to the path that he had seen the humans on.

"Jaken?" he asked. The older youkai retrieved his staff as he looked up at the kitsune.

"Yes?"

"Will you go after Sesshoumaru tomorrow?"

"Actually I wished to go tonight," he said, but Shippo shook his head at him.

"I think you should wait until morning. It will be difficult enough for Sesshoumaru's reincarnation to accept the truth, but right now he is tired. You should wait until he is refreshed. Remember, he's a mortal now, not a youkai."

Jaken slumped his shoulders. The kitsune was right, it was better to wait. He had let his zeal take control of him.

"Very well," he agreed. Shippo gave a hint of a smile as he looked down at the disappointed old man.

"Perhaps we should eat something ourselves," the kitsune said. Jaken agreed and followed the two kitsunes. He dragged the two swords behind him until Shippo took them from him. Jaken was about the protest, but the fox reassured him that they would be returned.

"These aren't my swords Jaken, I have my own." Shippo indicated the sword at his hip as he continued walking. Jaken relaxed, he knew that Shippo would never take the swords. He was just used to protecting them from thieving youkai and humans.

Some time later, the three youkai were sitting around a small fire deep within the woods. Jaken eagerly sank his teeth into the roasted venison, followed by an equally hungry Sango. Shippo took his time as he kept a careful watch over his two wards.

After he had finished his meal, Jaken wiped his mouth. He had questions for the fox, just as he was sure Shippo had questions for him. But first, they had to get certain pleasantries out of the way. Shippo was technically a lord now, even if only because he was an adopted member of Inuyasha's court and because of his marriage to Lady Souten.

"How are your twin daughters and your wife doing?"

Shippo threw some tea leaves into some boiling water as he answered.

"Souten is in China right now and Kagome is with her." He had named one of his daughters after Kagome. "Nariko is currently watching over her mother's lands." Even though they were twins, the teenaged sisters weren't identical. Kagome looked like an older version of young Sango while Nariko had Shippo's red hair. Shippo had been secretly pleased that his three daughters had inheritated his tail and green eyes. But while Kagome and Sango also had his fox feet, Nariko didn't. Jaken looked up with interest.

"Why is your Lady wife and Lady daughter in China?" he asked.

"Souten wished for a break from the humans." Jaken nodded in understanding. With the increasing number of humans living in Japan, the population of youkai had begun to decline. Many youkai were simply withdrawing into the wilds or even leaving the country all together. Jaken had even heard rumors that several of Kouga's tribe had made their way to the wilderness of North America.

"Will…" Jaken wasn't sure how to broach the subject. "Will your family leave as well?"

"No, we will not give up our lands to humans."

Shippo took a sip of tea. His wife would never abandon her ancestral lands to humans. However even Souten, his ever prideful, beautiful Souten, had become tired of dealing with the mortals. She had gone to China a few years after the beginning of the Meiji Revolution, but she had promised to return soon. Shippo hoped so, he missed his wife terribly.

Jaken took an offered cup of tea from the kitsune as he considered his words. Inuyasha and Kouga had both said the same thing, but is seemed as if humans were every where these days.

"And…how is Namu?" Jaken ventured delicately. He saw Shippo stiffen slightly at the mention of his hanyou son. Apparently the relationship between father and son still left much to be desired.

"He is with Inuyasha," Shippo said stiffly.

"I…see…" Jaken said no more, seeing that the kitsune had become deep in thought. The old youkai simply drank his tea as he listened to the sound of the cicadas.

Shippo stared into his cup. Although Souten was the only woman he had ever truly loved, he'd had a failed relationship with a human woman before he and Souten had crossed paths again. It would only be years later that the fox would discover that he had fathered a hanyou son with her.

To say that Souten had been extremely unhappy would be an understatement. The twins had only been sixty-eight when Namu had showed up on their doorstep. After a frosty start, she and his son had eventually accepted each other. Souten now treated him as her own son and Namu was close to his half sisters, especially his youngest one. Sango practically hero-worshipped her older brother. It was only between father and son that relations were poor.

Being half-human, Namu didn't have the pointed youkai ears of his father, but rather he had a pair of fox ears on his head. Namu also had his father's red hair and green eyes, but lacked the fox tail and feet. Shippo felt a sense of sadness as he thought about his son. Although their relationship had significantly improved, the kitsune knew that Namu saw Inuyasha more as a father than he would ever see him. Perhaps it was better that way. Inuyasha was far more qualified to guide his hanyou son than Shippo ever could. Even so, the fact that he would probably never have the relationship with his son that Inuyasha did made him a bit depressed.

"Dad?" Shippo gave a start as he realized that he was still staring into his tea.

"What Sango?"

"Are you and Namu still fighting?" Anxiety filled his daughter's large green eyes.

"No Sango, we're not fighting." It wasn't exactly a lie, but he didn't want her upset. She idolized her father even more than she did Namu. Shippo looked up at the crescent moon just barely peeking through the tree tops.

"You should get some sleep Sango."

"I'm not tired," she protested, but a yawn betrayed her.

"You won't miss anything, I promise."

Jaken watched as the girl pulled a leaf out and created a blanket out of it with her kitsune magic. She curled up and was quickly asleep. The old youkai was tired, but he needed some answers first.

"How did you know I was here Shippo?"

"I followed you from Kyoto. Yes, I know…" he held up a hand as Jaken began to sputter. "I should have told you before hand, but I was curious. You should be thankful actually, there was a cat youkai stalking you about two hundred miles back.

"A..a…cat?" Jaken hadn't noticed anything. _Stupid cats. _He sighed tiredly, ready for sleep. He let Shippo refill his cup as he thought about the red-haired human with the cross-shaped scar on his cheek.

"How did you find Sesshoumaru?" Shippo asked suddenly.

"Kaede had said that he would have red hair, blue eyes, and a cross-shaped scar on his face. I started hearing rumors of a great swordsman with that description during the humans' civil war. I followed the rumors to Kyoto and heard that he was living here. His human name is Himura Kenshin."

"Kenshin," Shippo mused. "I've heard rumors of him too. He's said to be the greatest human swordsman of this era. Battousai the Manslayer, isn't that what he was known by?"

"And why would a kitsune Lord be listening to human rumors?"

Shippo grinned wryly as he took a sip of tea.

"It is wise to pay attention to the rumors of humans these days."

"You were looking for him too, weren't you?"

Shippo nodded.

"Yes I was."

"And has Inuyasha heard these rumors?"

"Yes. He figured that if he _was _Sesshoumaru, then you would be close behind."

So Shippo _had _been looking for him, it hadn't been mere chance that he'd found him in Kyoto. That meant that the kitsune would probably come with him to meet the humans tomorrow. Instead of annoying the old youkai like it once would have, it comforted him. The young boy that he had met years ago had grown into an honorable man.

"May I see your sword Shippo?" he asked politely. A pair of green eyes studied him for a moment before unsheathing the sword in question. The kitsune handed his sword to Jaken.

"Ah, it's beautiful! Totousai's work is really amazing!" Jaken ran a finger down the blade of the Kadouki. The delicate image of leaves had been engraved into the side of the sword. The blade itself was slightly shorter and lighter than the Toukijin, but it was no less lethal. The blade was both sharp and incredibly strong. While clearly not the Tetsusaiga, the Kadouki was a powerful sword in its own right. Jaken had seen the kitsune use it in battle before.

From what Jaken understood, the sword itself acted as an amplifier. It enhanced the natural abilities of its master, who happened to be Shippo. The sword magnified his senses and boosted his kitsune magic. The sword even glowed violet when it sensed a strong youkai presence nearby and blue when it sensed the strong spiritual energy of a human.

Jaken had also heard, although he didn't know if it was true, that the Kadouki also allowed him to sense the emotions of others. A weak type of mind reading, so to speak. However, if this was the case, he didn't know. Jaken gave the sword one more admiring look before handing it back to its master.

Shippo replaced the blade in its scabbard. The fox had discovered that he was able to generate a more powerful and destructive version of his fox fire through the sword. He'd also found that he could coat the blade in an aura of his fire, creating what he called a fire blade.

"You should sleep as well Jaken." He could feel that the old man was ready to fall over in exhaustion.

"Yes, I believe I will."

The old man was soon asleep, leaving Shippo the only one still awake. The kitsune rose to do a quick survey of the area and place a few traps. Satisfied that there was no danger, he drifted into a light sleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_It called to him. Kenshin followed a soft light as he wandered through a strange hall. It seemed strangely familiar. As he reached the end of the hallway, it suddenly opened up to an even stranger landscape._

_As Kenshin stood there, he stared in awe at the huge skeletal remains of some beast. It wore strange armor and the creature had two fangs missing from it's teeth. Something about the remains filled him with sadness. As he looked on, he saw the soft light appear inside the creature's ribcage._

_He followed it, walking inside the body of the dead creature. Kenshin felt no fear, for some reason he felt safe here. The human noticed a strange sword floating several yards away. As Kenshin approached, the sword began to pulse with a soft light. His hand reached out for it, aching to touch it._

_"Tenseiga."_

Kenshin gave a start as he woke up. A dream, it was only a dream. But it had seemed so real. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. The dream was already fading from his mind. He soon forgot the contents of it, but Kenshin still felt unsettled. Despite forgetting everything else, the image of the sword stayed in his mind.

The swordsman stood up to go get a drink of water. Sanosuke and Yahiko were both snoring unconcerned on their futons. Kenshin sighed as he walked outside for a breath of fresh air.

The crescent moon shone brightly in the night as Kenshin stared up at it. He couldn't explain why the dream had unsettled him. The door slid softly open as Sanosuke stuck his head out.

"You all right Kenshin?"

"Yes, this one is fine. I am sorry to have awakened you."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it was just a dream that it was."

Sanosuke gave him a strange look before ducking back inside.

"Well, if you want to talk about it we can. I'm up for a bottle of sake."

"No, I'm fine. Really." His friend gave him a doubtful look through the doorway before finally shrugging his shoulders.

"Okay then, I'm going back to bed. But if you don't go back to sleep, I might just be forced to stay up and annoy you."

Kenshin took the hint and walked back inside. The only way he could convince Sanosuke to go back to bed was if he did as well. Kenshin slid underneath the covers, but it took him a while to fall back asleep.

…………………….

_Author's note: _

_Nariko is a Japanese name that means 'Thunder peal.'_

_As Shippo's daughters are also descendants of the Thunder youkai tribe, I thought that Nariko would be a fitting name for one of them._


	5. Revelations, Part I

**Chapter 5: Revelations, Part I**

"It's about time Kagome!"

"Look, I told you I had to stay and catch up on school! Now that summer's here, I can stay a while!"

"It's been over a month!" He caught the glare on her face. "Er, never mind…" he muttered. He didn't feel like getting sat.

Inuyasha bent down to pick up her bags as they headed to the well. Kagome followed him after grabbing her jacket. Now that school was over, she had put her school uniform away and was now wearing tan slacks and a flowery blouse.

"Kagome!"

Inuyasha and Kagome paused as Souta ran up to them and shoved a package at his sister.

"What's this Souta?" Kagome asked as the hanyou looked at her younger brother with curiosity. Souta blushed slightly as he opened it.

"It's a digital camera," he explained, embarrassed. "Since I can't go to the feudal era with you, I was wondering if…"

"Of course I'll take pictures for you," Kagome said with a smile. Her brother immediately brightened.

"Thanks Kagome!"

As the two prepared to jump down the well, Inuyasha couldn't help asking.

"What is a 'digital camera'?"

"I'll show you later."

Kagome had been surprised that she could still use the well without the jewel, but she supposed it had to do with her increased spiritual powers. Kikyo's soul had since returned to her body, nearly doubling her powers. As she lifted her head out of the well, she gave a gasp.

"What's all of this?"

A small, temporary building had been raised over the well. As Kagome looked around, she saw that several posts had been driven into the ground in preparation for a more permanent structure.

"It's a shrine Kagome," Sango said. The demon slayer had come up with Miroku after they'd climbed out of the well.

"A shrine?"

"Yes, it was Miroku's idea." A brief flash of red was all the warning Kagome had before a small kitsune jumped on her.

"Kagome! You're back!" Shippo clung to Kagome's shirt, unwilling to let go.

"Of course she's back!" Inuyasha barked. The young kitsune stuck his tongue out at the hanyou before clambering up onto Kagome's left shoulder.

"Come on Kagome," Inuyasha said, "Let's go put your stuff away."

"All right," she said as she followed him.

They were halfway to Kaede's hut when Inuyasha suddenly stopped in his tracks. _A shrine! _The hanyou whirled around to look at the construction around the well. _They're building a shrine! _Several things clicked in his mind and he could only find one response.

"No."

Kagome gave him a curious look.

"No what, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, what's the matter?" Shippo asked. Both the kitsune and the human were surprised when he suddenly grabbed Kagome's shoulders and stared at her intently.

"Umm…Inuyasha?"

"They're building a shrine Kagome! Miroku and Sango are building a shrine by the well!"

"So, what?" Kagome asked, although she had been wondering about it too.

"They're building a shrine!" he repeated, trying to make her understand.

"What's wrong with that?" Shippo asked. The hanyou stamped his feet and waved his arms in frustration.

"A shrine, stupid! Look, isn't your family supposed to be the ones that started the shrine in the first place!"

"Yeah, my ancestors started it a few centuries ago…" Kagome slowly trailed off as understanding hit her.

"You don't mean….!" Inuyasha nodded as she paled. Shippo gaped as he suddenly understood as well. Slowly the three of them turned their heads to gaze at Miroku and Sango. Miroku nudged his future wife in the ribs.

"Why do you suppose they are all staring at us for Sango?"

"I don't know, but Kagome looks awfully pale. I wonder what's wrong?"

In the meantime, Kagome had just covered her face and was shaking her head no while Inuyasha was shaking his head yes.

"Nowaynowaynowaynoway….."

"Kagome!"

"Nowaynowaynoway…."

"You can't really blame her," Shippo said.

"Kagome would you just shut up for a minute!" She paused to look at the hanyou. Inuyasha's golden eyes softened somewhat.

"Look Kagome, I know it's hard to believe, but Miroku and Sango must be your ancestors. They're starting a shrine by the well, they know which tree I was pinned to by Kikyo, which also happens to be the sacred tree in your time, and your family comes from a line of people who are gifted with strong spiritual powers!"

Kagome sighed; she hated it when he was right. It was just so incredible that she could hardly believe it. She heard him mutter something under his breath.

"What'd you say?" she asked.

"He said it's a miracle that your brother isn't a hentai," Shippo answered her, right before the hanyou smacked him.

"Oww! Kagome! Inuyasha hit me!"

"Inuyasha…" she warned.

"Well it's true…" he protested. She sighed before pleading with the hanyou.

"Inuyasha, please don't say anything," she said, but it was too late. The hanyou was already yelling at Miroku.

"YOU STUPID MONK! YOU GROPED YOUR OWN DESCENDANT!"

"**WHAT!**"

"INUYASHA!" A horrified Kagome screamed.

"KAGOME'S YOUR DESCENDANT, YOU MORON! AND YOU ASKED HER TO BEAR YOUR CHILD!"

"INUYASHA! SIT!"

Shippo looked down at the fallen hanyou as he shook his head.

"You're going to need a lot more tact than that if you're going to be a Lord."

"Owww…."

Kaede, Rin, and Kohaku were watching calmly from the hut as Miroku nearly fainted before attempting to bash his head against a nearby tree.

"That was unexpected," Kohaku said as Rin nodded her head in agreement.

"Yes, indeed," Kaede said. "But perhaps we should assist the others in keeping Miroku away from yon tree."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

He sniffed the air, breathing in the clean smells of pine, soil, and brush. The hanyou gripped the Tetsusaiga as he brought it in front of him. He stared down the cat youkai as he looked at the wind scar between them.

_The wind scar, the place where two youkai powers meet. All I have to do is slice through it and I would kill her. _His arm swung the blade, stopping short before actually slicing through the wind scar.

"How was that?" he asked as he looked at the older man standing on his right. The other hanyou's golden eyes bore into him for a moment before a smirk rose on his face.

"Not bad," Inuyasha answered. The hanyou Lord took his sword back from Shippo's son. The younger hanyou's green eyes glittered with a smile as he turned to the cat youkai.

"Thanks Kirara, I couldn't do it without you," Namu said. Kirara shook herself as she transformed back into her smaller form. She then gave a soft mew as she hopped onto Namu's shoulder.

Inuyasha rested a hand on the teenaged hanyou's other shoulder. The Inu hanyou had eventually grown out of his teenage form and now appeared to be in his twenties. He would never admit it, but his features resembled his brother's even more than they had before.

"Let's go get something to eat kid." Namu followed Inuyasha up the hill. He eyed the gleaming armor on his father figure's body. Inuyasha also wore a furry stole on his right shoulder, which Namu had been told was a symbol of leadership. The young hanyou didn't really understand why Inuyasha wore it. The older man obviously hated it, he usually threatened to burn it of give it some other grisly fate. Yet he still wore it everyday. Namu didn't understand why.

Inuyasha suddenly stopped, causing Namu to run into him.

"Why'd you stop for?" He suddenly saw a strange, pink, balloon like object floating in front of Inuyasha. "Oh…" he said. Namu recognized it as kitsune magic. It was a message from his father.

"What's _he _want now?" Namu asked, slightly annoyed. Inuyasha didn't say anything. He just pulled the rolled up parchment from the pink object, causing it to abruptly change back into a leaf after having served its purpose. His golden eyes slowly scanned the paper before looking up at Namu.

"You shouldn't be so hard on your father Namu."

"And why not? It's not like he pays any attention to me!" Inuyasha eyed him for a moment before tossing the paper at him.

"Read it."

"I don't want to."

"You'll read it because it concerns me." Namu grumbled as he unrolled the paper.

_Inuyasha,_

_The rumors are true. Sango and I have found Jaken and he has found your brother in Edo. We will be meeting them this morning._

_Shippo_

Namu looked up in surprise at the hanyou. The Lord of the Western Lands merely gave him an impassive look. Humans called the city Tokyo now, but his father like most other youkai still referred to it as Edo.

"Are you going?" he asked. Inuyasha turned and started walking back up the hill again. "Inuyasha?" Namu asked again.

"Yes, I'm going."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Do it again, Uncle Kenny!"

"Do it again, Unca Kenny!"

Kenshin smiled down at the little girls as they pleaded with him. He lifted another shirt out of the wash water and rung the excess water from it.

"Are you ready Ayame and Suzume?" Their eyes sparkled up at him in anticipation. Kenshin threw the shirt up in the air and caught the collar. With a flash he waved it around in a blur as he did a silly dance for the girls. Then he stopped on the ball of one foot and presented the shirt with a flourish. It was completely dry. The little girls squealed in delight.

"Again! Again!"

"I'm afraid that we are out of shirts, that we are." Besides, if he did it again, Kenshin was afraid he'd get dizzy.

"Awww…" they complained.

"Kenshin should be in the circus," Yahiko said as he finished sweeping the deck. Sanosuke grunted from his seat on the stairs.

"Kenshin and I _were _in the circus, remember? Kaoru forced us into it."

"Shut up! It was for a good cause!" Kaoru yelled at him. "Besides, I told Marimo and her father that you two would be willing to help again." Kenshin and Sanosuke both cringed.

"Yeah, and we'll both be hiding when that happens," Sanosuke muttered.

"What'd you say?"

"I said you missed a spot." Whack.

"Oww!"

"Serves you right, you freeloader!"

Kenshin was chuckling to himself when he felt them approach. The swordsman stood up as he looked at the three visitors that had just arrived.

"Who the heck are they?" Yahiko asked. A strange, red-haired man stood looking at them, or more precisely, Kenshin. He was the first person with red hair that Yahiko had seen besides his older friend. Yet there seemed to be something off about him, something not quite human. One the man's left stood a raven haired girl about his age and on the right….

Yahiko gasped as he looked closer at the other figure. At first the boy had thought it was another child, but it couldn't be. The creature looked like a cross between a toad and a small child.

"Who the hell are they?" Sanosuke growled as Kaoru joined Kenshin. Ayame and Suzume each gripped a pant leg of their 'uncle' as they stared wide-eyed at the visitors.

Kenshin had no idea who they were, but the hair had risen on the back of his neck. That had never happened to him before. _They're not human, none of them are…_ Kenshin's eyes suddenly became focused on two swords in the girl's hands. Unconsciously he flexed his right hand as he felt a pull on his mind. With an effort, he tore his gaze from the swords and studied the man. That's when Kenshin noticed that his feet weren't that of a human, but an animal. Sharp, green eyes inspected him from the distance as the man started to approach.

Kenshin placed himself slightly in front of Kaoru, but nothing prepared him for what happened next. The strange toad man smiled joyfully and began to run at him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!"

………………………………

_Author's Note: Marimo is the name of the Cannon Girl Kenshin and Co. helped out at the circus if you don't remember._


	6. Revelations, Part II

**Chapter 6: Revelations, Part II**

"Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Kenshin gripped his reverse-blade sword as the strange creature grabbed his leg. _Kill it! _The Battousai screamed. Kenshin felt his self control slip for a brief moment before he managed to shove the former Ishin Shishi into the back corner of his mind. The strange toad man was now bawling into his hakama and the bewildered swordsman could only find one response.

"ORO?"

Shippo watched in hidden fascination as three very different expressions crossed the human's face. His first response had been one of shock, followed by a very brief moment of cold rage. That had intrigued the kitsune, as the human's eyes had briefly turned golden before fading back into his natural color. Now Sesshoumaru's reincarnation was staring down at the miniature youkai with almost comic bewilderment.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" A deep, male voice yelled.

The kitsune turned his attention to the taller human male. His brown hair seemed to spike out from his head, much like a rooster's comb. The strange human stalked over and grabbed Jaken by the collar, pulling him off the smaller man.

"PUT ME DOWN YOU INSOLENT HUMAN!" Jaken lashed out at the human, but to no avail. He finally swung his staff at him, causing one of the heads to spit fire.

"WHA…!" Sanosuke dropped the creature in surprise as fire spurted out from the staff. _That thing has heads on it! _The creature laughed mockingly at him, further agitating the already angry human.

"Take that human!"

"Of all the…"

"You want more?" Jaken prepared to launch another assault at this human who would keep him from his lord, but a strong hand stayed the staff. He looked up in surprise and sputtered as Shippo pulled the staff from his grasp.

"We are guests here Jaken."

"Give me my staff!"

"Not until you are of a clearer mind."

Jaken glared at the kitsune, but backed down as the other male gave him a piercing look. The much smaller youkai muttered under his breath before turning to look at the red-haired human again.

Kenshin had not moved an inch. He was only now recovering from the sudden shock, which caused another response as his mind started to work again.

"Oro?"

Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke were all now gathered around their friend. Kaoru watched as the strange, red-haired man stood in front of Kenshin. Her young apprentice gaped in fascination at the red fox tail swishing back and forth behind the man. Ayame and Suzume's reaction was to grip Kenshin's hakama pants even more and hide behind him.

Shippo looked down at them in surprise. Then he turned his attention to the woman standing close to Himura Kenshin. _Are they his daughters and mate? _Kaede hadn't said he would have a family. The kitsune slowly bent down to the children's level, but they hid behind Kenshin. The kitsune thought for a moment before pulling some flower buds from his sleeve. Using his kitsune magic, he transformed each them into two bouquets of brilliant wildflowers.

"Would you two like these?"

Ayame and Suzume peeked around the edge of Kenshin's pants to eye the strange man. What they saw was a kind look that was not unlike that of their 'Uncle Kenny's.'

"Thank you Mr. Fox Man!"

"Tank you Mr. Fox Man!"

Now having no fear of Shippo, the two girls came out of hiding, each clutching the flowers to their chests. This very much put Kenshin at ease, which had also been the kitsune's intention. Shippo stood up to eye the human before giving a polite bow.

"Please forgive us, especially Jaken. He was just…excited. My name is Shippo and this is my daughter, Sango." He rested a hand on his child's head.

Questions whirled through Kenshin's mind, but as the other man had so far been courteous, so should he.

"This one's name is Himura Kenshin. My friends are Kamiya Kaoru, Myoujin Yahiko, Sagara Sanosuke, and Genzai Ayame and Suzume," he said as he indicated each one. He saw a brief look of confusion cross the other man's face.

"What is it?" Kenshin asked.

"These aren't your children?" Kenshin gave a start at that, but figured that the mistake was understandable.

"No, Ayame and Suzume are the granddaughters of our friend, that they are."

"Oh. So Miss Kaoru is not your mate then?"

"Oro?"

Sanosuke began to laugh hysterically. Both Kenshin's and Kaoru's faces now burned a deep shade of red. Yahiko began to laugh as well, until Kaoru couldn't take it anymore.

"Shut up!"

Both Sanosuke and Yahiko began to laugh even harder. Kaoru's face amazingly turned a deeper red.

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

"What does mate mean, Uncle Kenny?"

"Uhh…"

"Unca Kenny is all red!"

"Did I miss something?" Shippo asked. _Just great, one minute into the conversation and I've already said something stupid, _he thought. Jaken gaped in astonishment at Kenshin, who was behaving nothing like his former self.

"Stop embarrassing Lord Sesshoumaru!" he yelled loudly. Six pairs of human eyes latched onto the small youkai.

"Lord Sesshoumaru? Who's that?" Kaoru asked.

"Yeah, I've never heard of him," Yahiko said.

"Never heard of him!" Jaken stared at them, aghast. "How could you never hear of…" He broke off as a leaf suddenly smothered his mouth to keep him from speaking. Jaken attempted to rip it off, but the leaf refused to budge. Instead he glared up at Shippo, who was ignoring him. _YOU DAMNABLE FOX! _His mind screamed.

"Sesshoumaru was a powerful youkai lord," Shippo explained calmly.

"Youkai?" Kenshin asked. He took a closer look at the three strangers as he suddenly understood.

"All three of you are youkai," he stated. Kaoru and Yahiko stared in confusion at them while Sanosuke gave them a wondering look.

"I didn't think youkai were real," Kaoru said.

"What are youkai?" Yahiko asked.

"They're supposed to be immortal," Sanosuke answered. "I've heard that the mountains and forests are full of them."

"Not so much as there used to be," Shippo replied, "But yes, that is where most of us are now." The kitsune saw that Kenshin had become deep in thought.

"I suppose you and Mr. Sagara have heard of us then?"

"Yes," Kenshin said, "But unlike Miss Kaoru and Yahiko, I know that the tales are not just legends. Master Hiko himself killed a youkai that attacked us, but it was nothing more than an animal. He said that the most dangerous youkai were the ones that resembled humans, that he did." Kenshin saw a look of amusement cross Shippo's face at the description of being dangerous.

"Really?" Yahiko asked as he looked at Kenshin with amazement. He heard a grunt from Sanosuke. The boy turned to look at him.

"Oh and I suppose you've seen one too?" Sanosuke crossed his arms before answering.

"Captain Sagara always used to tell Katsu and I how a wolf youkai had once saved his life. He'd said that he had looked mostly human, except for the pointed ears."

_Wolf youkai, I wonder who that was? _Shippo thought. He heard angry mumbling and looked down at an irate Jaken. The little youkai was trying to pull the leaf off again. _Stubborn old man. _

"If I remove the leaf, will you behave Jaken?" Jaken nodded his head up and down. Shippo sighed and wondered if he was about to make a mistake. He snapped his fingers, causing the leaf to release its hold on Jaken.

"YOU DAMNABLE FOX!" Snap. The leaf resumed its former position.

"MMMFFFFHHH!" Jaken yelled. How _dare_ he?

"Calm down Jaken," Shippo said. Jaken glared up at him, swearing that the fox was enjoying this. The kitsune turned to his daughter.

"Sango, please give me the swords."

"Yes Father." She held the swords up to him and he took them in his strong hands. Shippo turned and presented the swords to Kenshin.

"This sword is the Toukijin and this one is the Tenseiga, a sword of healing. Both are youkai made and once belonged to Sesshoumaru."

"Why are you showing these to me?" Kenshin asked. Shippo's lips twitched as he handed the Tenseiga to him.

"I want you to hold this for a moment."

"Why…" Kenshin trailed off as his eyes became fixed on the sword. It was pulsating right before his eyes! His hand slowly reached out to it, acting without consent from its master. It enclosed around the handle, slowly pulling the sword out of its sheath.

Kenshin brought the Tenseiga to his face, staring transfixed at it. The blade seemed to have some strong hold over his mind. He faintly heard his friends gasp as the sword began to glow a faint bluish-silver.

"Tenseiga," he murmured, and came to a start as he realized what was happening. Kenshin slowly tore his gaze from the blade to find a pair of jade green eyes studying him.

"These swords belong to you, Himura Kenshin. You are the reincarnation of Sesshoumaru."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Where the hell's Myouga when you need him!" Inuyasha raged. Namu stood quietly off in a corner with Kirara. _Why does he need Myouga for?_

"Calm down Father," the raven-haired woman said. The hanyou stopped his pacing long enough to look at his daughter. Amaya was very much the image of Kagome, with the exception of her golden eyes and clawed hands. Being only quarter youkai, his daughter wouldn't live as long as a hanyou, but her life span still greatly exceeded that of a normal human.

"Your kid's right Inuyasha," Kouga said. The hanyou glared at the wolf, but said nothing. The two had since settled their differences, even if they still irritated the hell out of each other. Kouga had married Ayame, even though the hanyou knew he would always love Kagome. The wolf had reluctantly let her go after he'd realized how much she loved Inuyasha. The hanyou had to respect him for that at least. But still, it had come as a bit of a shock when his daughter had married Kouga's son, Akio. Now he and the stupid wolf were in-laws. Damn the irony of life.

Kouga watched as Inuyasha took a deep breath. The hanyou had matured greatly since their days fighting Naraku. Inuyasha usually had better control over his temper now, but since his son's death nearly a century ago in the Great Youkai War, the hanyou's temperament seemed to have darkened slightly. The wolf was secretly glad of Namu's presence. The young fox hanyou seemed to fill the void of Inutari's death in Inuyasha's heart.

"Why do you need Myouga, Inuyasha?" Akio asked. Inuyasha flicked his attention over to his son-in-law, who was sitting with his and Amaya's infant daughter, Izayoi. Inuyasha watched his sleeping granddaughter for a moment and found the action to be very calming.

"He has information I need."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kenshin stared at the red-haired kitsune with a look of disbelief. Everyone else was gaping at him.

"What do you mean, this statement of yours can not possibly be true."

"I am quite serious." Shippo pointed to the sword that was still in Kenshin's grip. "The Tenseiga only reacted to Sesshoumaru, he was the only one who could truly use it. Yet here it is, reacting to _you. _Do you have an explanation for that?"

Kenshin felt slightly dizzy. What this strange kitsune said couldn't possibly be true.

"How can Kenshin be the reincarnation of a youkai when he's a human?" Kaoru asked.

"It is possible. Tell me, have his eyes ever changed?"

"Changed?" she asked. She, Sanosuke, and Yahiko looked warily at each other for a long moment before they felt a sudden chill.

"Yes…they've turned golden before." _When he becomes the Battousai, _she thought.

"Sesshoumaru's eyes were golden," Shippo stated. He heard a soft murmur and looked down at Jaken. The kitsune snapped his finger, releasing Jaken from the leaf. The smaller youkai rubbed his mouth and glared briefly at the kitsune before turning to speak to the humans.

"I've heard it said that you were Battousai the Manslayer during the Revolution," Jaken said. "Is this so?"

Kenshin tightened his hold on the Tenseiga, as if gripping a lifeline. He answered softly.

"It is so. But this one is no longer the Battousai."

Jaken eyed him for a moment before continuing.

"It's also been said that you are the greatest human swordsman of this era."

"I'll actually agree with that," Sanosuke muttered.

"Quiet you! I'm not finished!"

"Shut up you son of a…"

"Sano, please." It was all Kenshin had to say. His friend gave the youkai a menacing look, but shut up. Jaken cleared his throat, clearly just getting warmed up.

"Whenever your eyes turn golden, your youkai soul is in control. That is why your strength and speed increase so much." Actually Jaken didn't know for sure, he was just guessing. His guessing apparently hit the mark though, because Kenshin's face seemed to withdraw even more.

"Why?" Kenshin finally asked.

"What?" Jaken asked in surprise.

"If what you say is the truth, then why was I reincarnated? Why are you even here? I should not think it would matter if I knew the truth or not, unless if there was a reason."

Shippo held the Tenseiga's sheath out to Kenshin. After a moment of hesitation, the human slid the sword back in. The kitsune felt a great deal of emotional stress coming off of the human, even if he showed no outward sign of it.

"Perhaps we should make ourselves comfortable," the kitsune said. "The story is long in the telling and much more suited to sitting down." This should give the human a few minutes to collect himself.

Kaoru gave Kenshin a reassuring look before leading everyone into the house.

"All right, I'll make us some tea. Then we can talk."

………………………………………………

_Author's note:_

_Just some name meanings._

_Amaya means "Night Rain." Akio is "Smart Child", Izayoi was the name of Inuyasha's mother and Inutari is my own creation._


	7. The Hand of the Spider

_Author's Note: Since there have been so many requests for Kagome, I thought it best to reassure you all that she WILL eventually make an appearance. I just won't say how, when, or where. Keep your eyes open for some other familiar faces too. Also, someone told me that Kenshin's eyes are actually violet, not blue. But since I've already started with that description, I'm going to keep with the blue eyes._

**Chapter 7: The Hand of the Spider**

"Hold on a minute, how old did you say you were again?" Sanosuke, Yahiko, Kaoru, and Kenshin gaped at the raven-haired fox girl.

"I'm eighty-one," Sango said.

"You're older than me?" Sanosuke sputtered. Shippo calmly took a sip of tea as Jaken answered him.

"Youkai age differently than humans. Yes, Sango is older than you. But in youkai years she's about Yahiko's age."

"Really?" Kaoru asked. She and the others looked back and forth between the two children before a sly look crossed Sanosuke's face.

The former fighter for hire bent down next to Yahiko's ear and made sure that he whispered loud enough for everyone else to hear.

"She's too old for you Yahiko, I think you'd better stick with Tsubame."

Shippo nearly choked on his tea after the boy slugged Sanosuke. He knew he shouldn't be laughing, but the boy's expression was priceless. His face had turned a deep red and he was actually acting very much like an embarrassed Inuyasha.

Sango also felt a blush creep up on her cheeks. She didn't say anything to avoid further embarrassment to Yahiko, but she couldn't help but shake her head. Yahiko was now yelling at Shippo to shut up while Sanosuke continued to taunt the boy. Sometimes her father could be so embarrassing. Although nothing could be as embarrassing as the time he had 'borrowed' certain undergarments of Inuyasha's and strung them out from the lookout tower at home. Her father had even waited to do it until Kouga and some of the other youkai lords were there for a meeting. He'd claimed Inuyasha had it coming to him, but the enraged hanyou seemed to have been of a different viewpoint. Inuyasha had chased the kitsune for at least ten miles before they'd gotten into a battle royal.

Kaoru cleared her throat to get their attention. When that didn't work, she resorted to yelling at them. The three immediately shut up, with Shippo actually shrinking back slightly. She wasn't _that _frightening, was she?

"Could we continue please?" she asked sweetly. Shippo gave her a wary look before replying.

"Of course." But before the kitsune could fully launch into an explanation, he snapped his attention to the door. "There's someone here," he said. _A human woman by the smell of it. _A woman with long dark hair walked into the room and gasped.

"Sir Ken? What is this?"

"It's a long story Miss Megumi, that it is."

So introductions were given before Kaoru launched into a retelling of the events of that morning. Shippo heard Sanosuke mutter 'Fox Lady' under his breath and he gave him a curious look.

"Fox Lady?" he asked. Sanosuke looked at him with surprise before chuckling.

"I forgot about your hearing. Megumi's nickname is the Fox Lady."

"Fox Lady? Why do you call her that? Does she have kitsune blood?" Sano raised an eyebrow at that before remarking dryly.

"I seriously doubt it."

"Then why the name?"

"You'll see."

Shippo eyed the newcomer curiously as he wondered what Sanosuke meant. Takani Megumi meanwhile was staring wide-eyed at the three youkai as Kaoru finished up her story. The kitsune was about to comment when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked over to see Yahiko grinning up at him. The fox bent down to his level so that the boy could whisper in his ear.

"Sanosuke and Megumi may not act like it, but they're really in love," Yahiko whispered.

"What're you two saying?" Sano grumbled.

"They'll both deny it if you ask them though," Yahiko added.

"I see," Shippo said.

"What do you see?" Sano asked again, mildly irritated.

"That you're an idiot."

"Shut up you stupid fox!"

Kaoru yelled at them again, much to the amusement of Jaken. The kitsune could easily defeat everyone in the room, with perhaps the exception of Sesshoumaru, yet he cowered back when an angry human female yelled at him. Of course, he had to admit, Kaoru was a rather frightening human when angry, much like Sango and Kagome had been.

Shippo took a sip of tea as he considered where to begin. He decided to begin with the moment he had first met Kagome, Inuyasha, and Miroku after his father's death. It was probably best to tell them everything.

The kitsune told them about Sango, Naraku, Kikyo, and the Shikon jewel. He told them everything, including their encounters with Sesshoumaru. Jaken would usually interrupt to add something whenever he came to the topic of Sesshoumaru. Everyone listened with rapt attention as the fox continued his story, although he noticed that Kenshin gripped his sword every time the story came to the dog youkai.

When they had come to the parts about Rin, Jaken found that Kenshin's gaze would slip to the two little girls dozing off next to him. _Perhaps these children somehow remind him of Rin? _Jaken thought to himself.

After a long while later, Shippo drained another cup of tea to soothe his dry throat. They had finally come to the part of Sesshoumaru's death.

"And?" Kaoru asked.

"And Sesshoumaru fought with us, sort of. He could never admit to actually being on the same side as Inuyasha, but they did fight together. That was pretty amazing in its self. Both of them were so prideful that they wouldn't allow the other to interfere until they had absolutely no choice but to work together."

"What happened though?" Megumi asked. Shippo briefly closed his eyes as he remembered. The events of all those years ago were still fresh in his mind.

"Naraku had all of the Sacred jewel fragments, except for one. He was unbelievably powerful. I think Sesshoumaru was even surprised at his strength. Naraku had torn Kikyo's clay body to shred, but not before she had transferred her soul back into Kagome's body. This actually turned out to be a good thing. Between the two of them, each had been a very powerful priestess. But now that their souls had been reunited into one body, Kagome's power was amazing. She was actually able to use her spiritual powers to purify Naraku's soul much in the same way that Midoriko was said to have been able to do."

"So Kagome's the one that defeated Naraku?"

"Not by herself, no. It took all of us working together, especially Inuyasha. He used the Tetsusaiga to deliver the killing blow."

"So," Kenshin finally said as all eyes turned to him. "How…how did Sesshoumaru die then?" Jaken and Shippo both gave him a considering look before the kitsune continued.

"Before Kikyo had lost her body, Naraku had pulled her soul collectors into his body. His miasma poisoned and twisted them into a single, dangerous creature that he had released as his final incarnation. The creature attacked Sesshoumaru and they battled hard while the others took on Naraku. He did finally kill it, but at a cost that not even the Tenseiga could protect him from. Just as Sesshoumaru killed Naraku's creature, it bit out his soul. Miroku was able to contain it and place it back into his body, but he was already dead."

Silence enveloped the group as they looked at Kenshin out of the corner of their eyes. Kenshin stared at his hands for a long time as he thought about it. He felt a dull pain in his chest as he imagined his soul being ripped out. The thought was horrifying. Finally, though, he looked up at the two oldest youkai.

"What happened next?" he asked softly. Kaoru placed a supportive hand on his arm as Shippo rubbed his forehead absentmindedly before answering.

"With Naraku's death, Kagome placed the last shard into the Shikon jewel. With the jewel whole again, it was able to grant a wish. Inuyasha had always wanted to become a full blooded youkai, but now he had no desire to do so. Sesshoumaru's soul was so torn up that it was in danger of disintegrating. Meaning that if nothing had been done, his soul would have suffered an eternal death. With persuading, Inuyasha used the jewel to save his brother's soul. The Shikon jewel was absorbed into Sesshoumaru's soul before it disappeared…waiting to be reborn."

With that, Shippo looked at Kenshin. The swordsman sat very still for a very long time before he finally spoke again.

"I have the Shikon jewel inside of me?"

"I suppose in a way you do. It combined with your soul, but it is not in the same form as before. The Shikon jewel was destroyed with the wish, but part of its essence was used to save your soul. So in a way, yes, I do suppose that some part of the Sacred jewel is inside of you."

"But wasn't the Sacred jewel a combination of Midoriko's soul and the youkai souls?"

"Yes and Kaede said that her soul was freed when the jewel was destroyed. She had finally beaten the youkai souls and purified them."

"So what happened to the youkai souls that she purified?" Yahiko asked. Shippo gave Kenshin an intent look.

"That is the essence of the Sacred jewel that was used to keep your soul from disintegrating, Himura Kenshin."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Myouga cowered as Inuyasha loomed over him.

"My Lord! I have a perfectly good explanation for…" Bam. Inuyasha flattened him with a hit. The flea yelped, but managed to stand back up.

"But Lord Inuyasha!"

"Save it!" Bam. Myouga was flattened again. _If only Lady Kagome was here, then she could sit him! _The flea youkai sat up with a groan and rubbed his sore head. Inuyasha was definitely in a bad mood.

"Father!" Amaya finally yelled. Inuyasha found his daughter's golden eyes glaring at him. He didn't know if she got that from him or Kagome. The hanyou crossed his arms and gave a low growl, but he left Myouga alone.

Myouga silently thanked Amaya. She usually took more after Inuyasha than her younger brother had, but she was still her mother's daughter. He watched as the hanyou closed his eyes for a moment before addressing him again.

"Myouga."

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Shippo's found Sesshoumaru's reincarnation in Edo. You know what that means."

Myouga found his thoughts drifting back to the events that had happened nearly three years after Naraku's death. So it was finally time.

"Yes I do, my Lord."

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Kenshin sat quietly under a tree as the day faded into night. A gush of wind caused a flurry of cherry blossoms to swirl around his head. The faint sound of cicadas could already be heard in the gathering dusk.

Megumi was inside making supper. Kenshin was going to do it so they wouldn't have to suffer through Kaoru's cooking. He needed something to take his mind off the day. But Megumi had brandished a pan at Kenshin and chased him out of the kitchen with Yahiko's help. So much for that idea. Now he was sitting in the fading light and staring at cherry blossoms.

A soft sound reached his ears as he sensed the approach. It was the youkai named Jaken.

"My Lord?" Jaken asked softly. He stood a respective distance as he waited for an answer. He saw the human's head turn in his direction. Blue eyes studied him for a long moment before he looked away. Jaken sighed.

"I'm not a lord," Kenshin said. Jaken looked up and took a tentative step forward.

"But you were. You were Lord Sesshoumaru."

"But I'm not him anymore. My name is Himura Kenshin, that it is."

His words were said firmly, but not unkindly. Encouraged, Jaken took a few bold steps until he was nearly two meters away.

"Lord Sesshoumaru was a good man. He was very good to Rin and I. I was very honored to have served him." This caused Kenshin to finally look at him.

"A good man? From the sounds of it, he was a very cold man, that he was." _Like the Battousai._

Jaken took another step forward. Kenshin blinked as he suddenly realized what the youkai was doing.

"You do not need to fear me, Mister Jaken. You may sit if you wish."

Jaken took the opportunity to sit next to the red-haired human. He studied the cross-shaped scar on his face for a moment before continuing.

"You are right, Lord Sesshoumaru was what you might call a cold man. But he wasn't unfeeling either. He was just a logical manwho didn't believe in showing his emotion. That doesn't mean he didn't care about anything though. He protected Rin and I from death numerous times. The fact that he cared enough to save a human child on more than one occasion should tell you something."

Kenshin was silent for a time as he and Jaken watched the cherry blossoms.

"What happened to Rin?" Kenshin finally asked. Jaken looked up at him, but he was still watching the falling blossoms.

"She married Kohaku after they grew up. They lived near the well close to Miroku and Sango. Rin had a peaceful life in the village." Jaken saw a slight smile appear on Kenshin's face, but he didn't seem aware of it.

"I'm glad," he finally said. "For someone so young to live through such violent times, I am glad her life became so peaceful, that I am."

"Rin missed you terribly, my Lord. She thought of you as a father."

A troubled looked briefly crossed Kenshin's face, but he again didn't seem aware of it.

"Please don't call me a Lord, Jaken."

"I'm sorry, my Lord."

Kenshin sighed. Apparently it wasn't going to be so easy to break him of that.

"Jaken, why did you and Shippo bother to find me? Does it really matter if I know about what happened?"

Jaken started to answer when Kenshin bolted up. The friendly aura around him cooled suddenly and Jaken took a step back at the narrowed look in Kenshin's eyes. His hand quickly unsheathed his sword as his other hand grabbed Jaken.

The youkai felt a firm hand grab his collar as the human jumped out from under the tree. Before Jaken could puzzle at this, a sudden explosion rent the air as the cherry tree split in two. Kenshin landed a good distance away and pushed Jaken behind him. An instant later, Shippo was at his side. The kitsune had sensed the danger and had made his way over to Kenshin before Sanosuke and the others could begin to react.

Together, the three of them stared at the two strange youkai that had attacked Kenshin. The smaller one pointed a clawed hand at the human as his red eyes glowed in the growing darkness.

"We are the Hand of the Spider. We've come for the human and his swords."


	8. Battle at the Kamiya Dojo

_Author's Note: Sorry it's taken a while to update. My dad's computer officially died and my university's computer lab was closed during spring break._

**Chapter 8: Battle at the Kamiya Dojo **

"We are the Hand of the Spider. We've come for the human and his swords."

Kenshin gripped his sword as he stared at the youkai. The one who had spoken was nearly his height and appeared to be human. The only signs that he was a youkai were the red eyes, pointed ears, and clawed hands. Bone ornaments ordained the wild black hair that flowed from his head. His only clothing appeared to have been made from snakeskin.

The larger youkai took a menacing step forward. The creature was large, with skin that resembled red granite. Taller than Sanosuke, the creature was nearly as wide as he was tall. It had no eyes that Kenshin could see.

"Kenshin!" Kenshin turned his attention to his friends.

"Miss Kaoru! Stay back!"

Sanosuke grabbed Kaoru before she could bolt to Kenshin's side. He shoved her and Yahiko behind him.

"Yahiko, go check on Megumi," Sano growled. The boy gave him a nod and disappeared into the house. Sanosuke gritted his teeth as he looked at Kenshin, Shippo, and Jaken. _Damn._

Shippo slowly drew his sword as he glared coldly at the youkai. The Kadouki glowed a violent shade of violet as it sensed the attackers. The kitsune sniffed the air before yelling at Sanosuke.

"Sano! They have backup!" He faintly heard the human swear as he pulled Shippo's daughter close to him as well. Shippo yelled at Sango to stay with the others. His daughter gave him a pout, but obeyed.

Then all hell broke loose. The two youkai attacked Kenshin and Shippo at the same instant that nearly twenty of their friends came out of hiding. It was also then that Shippo noticed with dismay that Himura Kenshin used a reverse-blade sword.

"Kenshin!" He yelled.

The red-haired human was easily faster than the huge youkai, quite a feat for a human. However his reverse-blade sword failed to make any damage against the rock hard skin of his opponent.

_Damn it! Why the hell is he using a reverse sword? _Shippo had to turn his attention momentarily from Kenshin. He had his own opponent to deal with.

Jaken stared in dismay at the sword in his master's hand. A sword like that might be fine against a human, but it was hardly a weapon to use against a youkai! An idea occurred to him and the miniature youkai ran off to the house. He had to get the Toukijin and the Tenseiga to Kenshin.

Kenshin eyed the youkai warily. His sword was having no effect. In fact, if he applied any more pressure he knew that the blade would snap. What he couldn't figure out was how the youkai was able to fight him. He knew that trained warriors could fight without the aid of sight, he himself could. But this creature also had no ears that he could see. How could it sense him?

The large youkai grinned at the human and Kenshin felt his vision blur. He stumbled a step before he had the sudden sensation of being buried alive under a pile of rubble. Kenshin struggled to move and gave a gasp as he tried to breathe. His mind moved with the slowness of molasses as he tried to clear away the rubble. Faintly he heard someone call his name. Who was it? He couldn't remember. The human could barely recall his own name.

"Kenshin!" Shippo yelled. The human was oblivious to everything around him. His eyes had glazed over and he was swiping at the empty air in front of him. The large youkai towered over the small human as it prepared to strike him. _Damn it all to hell._

The kitsune was pissed off now. A quick glance had also shown him that Sanosuke and Sango were fending off the small hoard of weaker youkai. He gripped his sword and green fire erupted from the blade. The kitsune sidestepped an attack from the smaller youkai and thrust the Kadouki into the ground. Green foxfire exploded from the ground underneath each of the two youkai. The small one was incinerated instantly, but the larger one managed to escape with one leg and half an arm.

Kenshin woke up from the vision to find himself standing where he'd been before. He looked up in sudden realization at the wounded, but still dangerous youkai. _He's telepathic! That thing was controlling my mind! _This touched some hidden nerve in the swordsman and his eyes narrowed dangerously. The Battousai wanted blood.

Shippo watched in fascination as Kenshin attacked the youkai. His eyes now glowed a bright yellow amber as he slid like water under the youkai's outstretched arm. The human dropped to a knee as he flipped the blade over to the sharp side. A powerful, youkai aura enveloped the blade as Kenshin prepared to strike. Before the kitsune could blink, Kenshin had sliced through the youkai's torso and resheathed his sword.

The kitsune no longer had any doubt in his mind that this was indeed Sesshoumaru's reincarnation.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The young hanyou felt a pain in his side as he gasped for breath. He and Inuyasha had been running like this for over an hour now. Hachi had offered to float them over to Edo, but the stubborn Lord of the Western Lands had said it would take too long. Now Namu was struggling to keep up with the older man. And Inuyasha showed no signs of tiring.

"Namu hurry up or you'll be left behind!"

The young fox hanyou knew that Inuyasha didn't mean it. The older hanyou would never leave him behind anywhere, but he sped up all the same. Kouga had offered to come, but Inuyasha had refused. Namu was secretly glad. If the wolf had come along, then they would be at a faster pace than they currently were. As it was, it was going to be a long night. Edo couldn't come fast enough.

He just wasn't looking forward to seeing his father.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sanosuke gave a satisfactory kick to one of the youkai. Despite the seriousness of the situation, there was a huge grin plastered across his face. He never knew that kicking youkai ass could be so much fun. There was just that little detail of keeping Kaoru, Megumi, and Yahiko safe. But other than that, it was a blast. He wasn't as worried about Shippo's daughter. Sango seemed perfectly capable of handling herself against the other youkai. Daddy's little girl was quite the fighter for a kid.

Yahiko had tried to get in on the fighting, but Sanosuke had told him to protect the two women, much to their outrage. Granted, as Kaoru was the boy's teacher, it really should be the other way around. But appealing to Yahiko's pride was the best way to trick him into staying out of the battle.

Even so, master and apprentice were both brandishing wooden bokkens just in case. Sanosuke punched another youkai. Damn, just what did it take to keep these things down? He loved a good fight, but even he was getting sick of this.

"Sanosuke! Heads up!"

Sanosuke looked up just in time to avoid a huge, flat bone object. Being about six feet in length, one edge was stuck in the ground and it curved up like an archer's bow.

"Shippo, what the hell?"

"It's a weapon moron!"

Sanosuke bristled at the insult, but picked up the thing after he found a leather strap on the side. It was heavy, but not too heavy for him.

"How the hell do I use it, you stupid fox?"

"I don't know, maybe bash people with it?" Shippo answered sarcastically. He had recreated a version of Sango's Hiraikotsu from an actual fragment of the original and some kitsune magic. It was only one of several that he carried around in his hidden arsenal.

"Bash people, give me a break," Sano muttered. He swung the thing at a pair of youkai and cleaved them in two. The human paused to give the weapon an admiring look.

"Hey! I think I like this!" He bashed in three more youkai. Shippo watched him with a smirk. Sanosuke wouldn't have been half bad as a youkai slayer. The only other human he had ever seen with that kind of strength had been Sango herself.

Sano heard a clunk and felt something brush past his leg. He looked down to see Jaken run past with the Toukijin and the Tenseiga.

"Jaken!" he yelled.

Jaken accidentally dropped the swords as the ground exploded in front of him. Sanosuke reached out and pulled the youkai back.

"The swords!" Jaken protested. "I must get my master's swords to him!"

As the horrified little youkai watched, a snake youkai reached out for the swords. A reverse-blade sword blocked him. Kenshin stunned the youkai before yelling at the young female kitsune.

"Miss Sango, please get the swords!" The girl nodded and grabbed the swords before retreating behind Sanosuke. Shippo appeared at the human's side.

"I've had enough of this," the kitsune growled. "These youkai are nothing more than weakling trash." There were roughly ten dead youkai and about half that amount was injured, courtesy of Sanosuke and Sango. The others watched in awe as green flame coated the fox's drawn blade.

Shippo raised the Kadouki above his head before bringing it down in a chopping motion. A giant wave of foxfire burned through the remaining youkai.

Sano wiped the sweat from his brow as his friends gave sighs of relief. He flipped the strange bone weapon over his shoulder and across his back. The human tapped a foot against a dead youkai as he asked Shippo.

"What the hell was all this about? Who are these guys?"

"They called themselves the Hand of the Spider, that they did," Kenshin said quietly. Sano felt slightly alarmed as heard the faintest touch of pain in his friend's voice.

"What's wrong Kenshin?"

Kenshin looked away and Sano raised an eyebrow. He followed the swordman's gaze to the dead body of the granite skinned youkai. It was sliced in two. Sanosuke understood now. Kenshin had killed it. No wonder he was upset.

"Look Kenshin, you swore that you'd never kill a human again. That doesn't include youkai." _Cheap words Sano, _he thought to himself, _that won't matter to Kenshin. He still took a life. That's enough for him._

Shippo looked at Kenshin with new eyes. _So that's why he carries a reverse-blade sword. _The kitsune sheathed his sword as he tried to console the human.

"That youkai would have killed you Kenshin. Any youkai truly intent on death will keep fighting until he or his enemy is dead. That is the way it is. There is no in between."

Kenshin gave him a very weak smile. Obviously that wasn't good enough for him, even if he did see the logic of it. Jaken gazed up at the red-haired human with amazement. He truly wasn't the same man he had been before. Sesshoumaru would never have mourned the death of an enemy. It was something to think about.

A sudden commotion from Yahiko turned everyone's attention to him and Megumi.

"Hey, look what Megumi found! Now we know why they're called the Hand of the Spider!" he yelled excitedly. Shippo knelt down next to the doctor as she pulled aside some clothing from the chest of one of the dead youkai. The kitsune stared down in shock as he felt a cold shiver run up his spine.

On the chest of the youkai was a small mark of a spider. It was the very same mark that had been on the backs of Naraku and his various incarnations.

The Hand of the Spider.

Shippo had a very bad feeling about this.


	9. Inuyasha

**Chapter 9: Inuyasha**

_"Die witch!"_

_"Such a temper," the female youkai purred. The angry wolf facing her bared his teeth as his eyes glowed red in fury._

_"I will avenge my comrades!" Kouga shouted._

_"Pathetic little wolf," Kagura hissed. "Naraku has already taken your jewel shards." The wolf youkai responded by howling and throwing himself in a rage at her._

_"Kouga!" Kagome shouted._

_"Leave him alone, Kagome. The blood's gone to his head," Sango said. Kagome gritted her teeth in frustration, but slowly nodded her head. The priestess turned her gaze to where Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were currently arguing with each other. Naraku had temporarily eluded them, but instead of following his scent, the brothers were too intent on picking a fight with each other._

_"Inuyasha!" she yelled. If only there was some way she could make both Inuyasha **and **Sesshoumaru sit. A high pitched scream cut short her thoughts._

_Kouga grinned in savage delight as Kagura stared in horror at the bloody hole in her chest. He flexed a blood soaked, clawed hand as the blood wrath slowly drained from him. The female youkai gave a choking gasp as she tried to speak._

_"H…how…" she never finished. The female incarnation of Naraku slumped over onto her side, dead eyes staring unseeing into the horizon. The wolf youkai gave a chuckle before he fell to his knees. Blood poured out from his many wounds as he growled softly in pain._

_"Kouga!" The wolf looked bleary eyed up at the woman he loved. The mortal he would never have. By gods, but she was beautiful. Kouga noticed faintly that Inuyasha and his brother were both staring at him and the dead Kagura. The wolf opened his mouth, intending to give the hanyou some smart remark, but found he didn't have the energy._

_"Kagome, I'm sorry I didn't kill Naraku for you," he whispered before closing his eyes. Kagome stared down at the wolf, her eyes welling up with tears. Some inner strength she didn't know she had left caused her to suddenly stand up straight and swing around. This strange inner strength also caused her to glare at the golden eyed dog youkai._

_"Sesshoumaru! Please bring Kouga back to life!" she begged. The Lord of the Western Lands gave her an impassive look, which further angered the mortal. "What the hell is that sword good for if you won't use it?" A very faint look of astonishment passed over Sesshoumaru's features as he considered her. Then the Tenseiga began to pulsate at the youkai's side._

_"It would appear," Sesshoumaru murmured quietly, "that Tenseiga has decided for me." With that, a clawed hand grasped the hilt and he withdrew the powerful sword._

Shippo slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. His pointed ears twitched as Yahiko and Kaoru's loud snoring reached his ears. The kitsune had intended to keep watch all night, but Kenshin and Sanosuke had wanted to keep a lookout for a few hours. Megumi had since left after they'd cleaned up the damage and eaten.

The kitsune carefully stood up, taking care not to wake his daughter. Sango had curled up next to her father and was currently sleeping peacefully. Sometimes he envied her and his two older daughters. They didn't have the troubling memories that he had.

Shippo lightly stroked the girl's hair before padding quietly to the door. He silently slid it open as he stepped lightly outside. Kenshin and Sanosuke both looked up at him before staring back out into the darkness. It would be morning soon.

Kenshin slid over so that the kitsune could have a seat between them. The kitsune gave him a nod in thanks as he sat. Sanosuke waved a half empy bottle of his favorite drink at the youkai.

"Sake?" he asked.

"Sure," Shippo answered. Sanosuke grinned and poured him a cup.

"What?" the kitsune asked.

"Kenshin hardly ever drinks. It's nice to know that there's at least one other normal person around here."

"Oro?" Kenshin asked.

"Kenshin," Sano explained with mock patience, "you're probably the weirdest person here." Shippo gave a laugh as he drained his cup. The red-haired mortal gave his friend a glare before smiling sweetly.

"Sano?"

"Eh?"

"When this one thinks of normal, you don't come to mind, that you don't."

"Feh," Sano grumbled, "Like you…hey! Shippo!" Kenshin looked over at the kitsune and blinked in surprise.

"Oro?" he asked. Then he threw back his head and laughed. Shippo had shape shifted into Sanosuke's image. Now the fox was mimicking Sano's every expression.

"Shippo!" Sano yelled.

"Shippo!" the kitsune mimicked. Kenshin laughed harder.

"You stupid fox!"

"You baka human!" Kenshin decided he'd better stop this before it went too far. He waved his hands at the two men.

"Now, now you two…" But Shippo wasn't finished. Still transformed as Sanosuke, he rose to one knee and held out his arms.

"Oh Megumi, my love, would you do me the honor of bearing my child?"

Sanosuke socked him good and Shippo transformed back to his original form. Kenshin hung his head in defeat as the door slid open. The three men looked up to see Kaoru and little Sango glaring at them with crossed arms. Shippo and Sanosuke pointed accusing fingers at each other.

Kaoru cleared her throat loudly before addressing the other small youkai at her side.

"Jaken, would you please tell these three idiots what time of night it is?" Jaken gulped as he hastened to obey the irate female.

"It is nearly two hours until dawn, Miss Kaoru."

"And would you please explain to them that people are generally asleep at this hour?"

"Actually most youkai are usually…" Kaoru glared at Jaken before he could finish. He jumped at the look on her face before obeying meekly.

"Miss Kaoru would prefer it if the three of you quieted down so that she could sleep," Jaken could hardly believe that he was obeying Kaoru. In fact, he found it almost ghastly that he was giving an order to his lord and master!

The three males nodded dumbly before Kaoru stalked back into the house, followed by Sango and Jaken. Yahiko was still snoring unconcerned in the house. They each stared wordlessly at each other for a moment before reaching for the remaining sake. Even Kenshin wanted a drink now.

"Hey Shippo," Sanosuke whispered.

"Eh?"

"I'm guessing that Sango takes after her mother, doesn't she?" Shippo drained his cup before answering him.

"It doesn't matter if she's youkai or human, old or young. An angry woman is a dangerous woman."

Kenshin and Sanosuke both agreed with that.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Yahiko rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Sanosuke licked his lips. Shippo sniffed the air curiously. Jaken stared in astonishment.

Kenshin ignored them all.

The red-haired swordsman checked on the boiling rice as he chopped up the tofu for the miso soup. After he added the tofu to the soup, he paused in thought. What next? Oh yes, of course, the miso.

Jaken couldn't take it anymore. He fell down in shock. The reincarnation of Lord Sesshoumaru was cooking breakfast…and he was enjoying it!

Shippo decided to be brave and snuck up next to Kenshin. He sniffed the pot and watched the man work for several minutes in astonishment before finally asking.

"Why isn't Kaoru cooking?"

"Because Miss Kaoru can't cook, that she can't." A faint female voice of denial drifted in from the other room, causing the two men to jump.

"Yeah," Yahiko added anyway, "If Kaoru cooked breakfast, we'd all die of food poisoning!"

"YAHIKO! I HEARD THAT!"

Shippo took the opportunity to sneak outside. He shook his head in amazement. Kenshin cooking breakfast, wait until Inuyasha heard about this. Inuyasha. Shippo's head snapped up as he caught the hanyou's scent. Inuyasha was here, and he'd brought Namu with him. The kitsune felt his back stiffen.

Moments later, the hanyou lord burst through the trees. A few seconds later, the younger fox hanyou appeared as well.

Namu fell to his knees in exhaustion. Finally. They were here. The young hanyou sniffed the air as he smelled food. His stomach rumbled in reply.

"NAMU!" The hanyou looked up just in time to see his youngest sister barrel into him. The young fox hanyou gave a tired grin as he gave Sango a hug. He tousled his sister's hair before looking up at his father.

His father stood stiffly before him. His green eyes seemed to pierce his and Namu self-consciously realized that his clothes and hair were dirty from the long night's run. Somehow though, Inuyasha had managed to stay almost immaculately clean. Namu felt his face redden, but forced himself to speak.

"Father."

"Namu."

This was how it always went. First the silent appraisal, then the brief acknowledgment of the other. Finally, next would come the curt questions about each other's health.

"Your trip?" Shippo asked gruffly.

"Fine. You?"

"Fine."

"Good."

Inuyasha shook his head at them. Eventually he was going to force father and son to sit down and have an actual conversation. He felt sorry for young Sango, who was currently watching the exchange between her half brother and father with worry. Unfortunately, Inuyasha didn't have time to deal with Shippo's family problems at the moment. He had his own.

"Shippo, where is he?"

The kitsune turned to the house. Sanosuke was standing in the doorway. They met eyes for a moment before Sano turned back into the house. The human had understood. Inuyasha was here.

The hanyou lord followed the kitsune into the house. Inuyasha paused in the doorway as he sniffed the air.

"Breakfast?" he asked.

"Yeah," Shippo hesitated before adding, "Kenshin's cooking." Inuyasha stared blankly at him; his ears twitched in surprise.

"He's what?"

"He's cooking."

"What?"

"Your brother? I said he's cooking."

"What!"

"Inuyasha!" Jaken yelled as he ran to the hanyou. He then barely managed to get out of Inuyasha's way as the hanyou barreled past.

"Inuyasha! You wretch!" the old youkai yelled in outrage.

Inuyasha burst into the kitchen and stared at the scene in shock. A young boy was standing nearby with an empty bowl. He had a wooden sword tucked into his sash. The hanyou glanced briefly at the tall brunette that towered over him. He gaped at the red-head holding a handful of scallions in one hand and small knife in the other.

The hanyou gaped wordlessly as his golden eyes widened. He pointed a clawed hand at Kenshin, closed it, pointed it again, then closed it. He stared stunned at the human in front of him. Then he began to laugh hysterically.

The stunned Kenshin could only find one response to the laughing Inuyasha.

"ORO?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The woman straightened the collar of her kimono. It was the color of blood, as was the obi sash around her waist. The color matched her eyes perfectly. She briefly straightened her dark green hair and checked the poisoned shuriken hidden in her sleeves. One could never be too careful. The youkai then made sure that the gold necklace and earrings were in place. Such an odd thing, this jewelry. She'd taken them from a foreign human, a Spaniard if she recalled correctly. The intricate gold contrasted sharply with the blood red of her clothes. The youkai rather liked it.

The air was dank in the corridor. The female youkai didn't understand how the Master could stand it. She followed the lantern lit pathway until she came to two giant, oak doors. Two lioness youkai lifted their heads and growled at her. Another foreign oddity. The Master had brought them in from Africa.

Each lioness had twin tails, which were currently beating the ground in warning. Their ears flattened as the females' silver eyes glowed.

"Oh shut up," the woman growled at them. The lionesses glowered at her, but let the youkai pass. The woman pushed open the doors and walked in. The Master was waiting.

"Did you get them?"

"No, Master. I fear we did not."

"I did not expect you would. The reincarnation of Sesshoumaru, mortal or not, is still dangerous."

"The kitsune was with him."

"Was he now?"

The woman lifted her red eyes up to study the other youkai. The Master seemed deep in thought. The decapitated head of her Master looked at her and the woman lowered her gaze. The body of her Master had been lost in a battle many years ago.

"Inuyasha will be there soon, Raizel."

"Yes, Master."

"Take care of him."

"Of course, Lady Kagura."

Kagura watched as Raizel bowed and left. Loyal, but calculating, the woman had become her hands as she had none of her own. Curse that wolf. She would make him pay dearly. Kagura had in fact been dead, and would have remained so if not for the intervention of a dark sorceress. However, her body had been lost and it was a miracle that her head had survived at all. The cursed wolf had hung her head outside the caves of his mountain home.

Kagura licked her lips as she imagined Kouga's death to come. She would hang his corpse from the tower of her fortress. Of course, she had killed the dark sorceress. Pathetic human, thinking that she could enslave a bodyless youkai to her will. Kagura was not powerless. Soon she would have another body. Soon she would have her revenge. But first she had to destroy the sword.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"ORO?"

**"HAHAHAHAHA!"**

Shippo groaned. Where was Kagome when you needed her? Inuyasha really needed a sit. Badly. Fortunately for Kenshin, Kaoru had just entered the room.

"Inuyasha…" Shippo warned. Inuyasha wiped tears from his eyes while Namu and Sango pretended not to be associated with either of them. The hanyou seemed to bring himself under control for a few seconds, that is until he looked at Kenshin again.

Snicker.

Shippo was about to take drastic measures to shut him up, but Kaoru beat him to the punch. Literally. Actually she used a bokken, but it was the same principle.

"Oww!" Inuyasha yelped.

"That's what you get for laughing at Kenshin!"

"It's not my fault! It's not like I was expecting the asshole to be cooking or anything!"

"INUYASHA!" Shippo yelled and this time he did punch the hanyou. Namu and Sango both covered their faces in embarrassment.

"SHIPPO! DAMN YOU!" Inuyasha punched him back.

"HE'S SESSHOUMARU'S REINCARNATION, NOT SESSHOUMARU HIMSELF!"

"I KNOW THAT DAMMIT!"

The kitsune and the hanyou growled at each other in agitation before they each gave a 'feh' and calmed down. Inuyasha glowered as he imagined what Kagome would say.

_Inuyasha, apologize to him. _No, he would protest, I won't do it. He imagined her glare. She'd have sat him by now. _Inuyasha, apologize. _Inuyasha opened his mouth.

"I'm…sorry," he muttered. Dammit, he hated apologizing! But Kagome would make him do it if she was here. He faintly imagined her next words in his mind. _There, was that so hard? _She'd have asked cheerfully. Then Miroku would have given some smart remark. _For Inuyasha, always. _Stupid monk. He could have used his insight right about now.

Kenshin and Inuyasha stared at each other for a long moment. Kenshin finally decided to take the initiative. He gave the hanyou lord a polite bow.

"My name is Himura Kenshin, as you probably already know. Shippo has spoken highly of you, that he has."

Inuyasha looked at him with surprise. He wasn't sure what to make of this red-haired mortal. It wasn't going anything like he had imagined it. Again, he imagined Kagome prodding at him. The hanyou gave a bow as well. Damn it. Today of all days was the day he needed her and the others.

Young Sango took it upon herself to introduce their new friends to Inuyasha and her brother. The hanyou was civil, having recovered from his initial shock. After pleasantries had been exchanged, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Inuyasha turned to find a grave Shippo eyeing him.

"Inuyasha, there's something I want you to see."

"What's that?"

"The Hand of the Spider."

"Huh?"

"A group of youkai attacked us yesterday. They called themselves the Hand of the Spider. We saved two of their bodies."

"The Hand of the Spider?"

"Yes…and they have Naraku's spider mark on their chests."

Inuyasha stared at him. Then giving a low growl, he replied.

"Show me."


	10. Truths

**Chapter 10: Truths**

"Well?" Shippo asked. Inuyasha sat back on his heels as he studied the two corpses.

"It's definitely Naraku's mark," he answered, causing Jaken to give a disdainful sniff.

"How the hell is that possible?"

"Tch, how should I know?"

Kenshin quietly watched the exchange as they debated. He looked over and saw that Namu and his sister were standing silently behind Sanosuke. Kenshin had noticed that the young hanyou and his father had barely spoken to each other since his and Inuyasha's arrival. He wondered if he dared to ask Shippo about it later.

Inuyasha looked away from Shippo to study Kenshin. The hanyou hadn't spoken to him since the initial meeting. He studied the cross-shaped scar on his face. Inuyasha could clearly see the other faint scars dotting Kenshin's exposed skin. He couldn't help wondering at them.

A faint glint of silvery blue caught Inuyasha's eye as Shippo turned around.

"Shippo, your sword's glowing blue," he said. The kitsune looked down at the Kadouki in surprise before he drew it. The sword only glowed blue when it sensed the strong spiritual powers of a human. It glowed violet for youkai energy.

"It didn't do that before," the kitsune remarked. "At least if it did, I didn't notice it."

"Is something wrong?" Kaoru asked. Inuyasha and Shippo looked at each other.

"I don't smell any other humans," Inuyasha said. He and the kitsune looked at the others. Shippo gave a broad grin.

"What is it?" Kaoru asked.

"The Kadouki only glows blue if it detects the strong spiritual energy of a human."

"Really?" Yahiko asked. The boy studied the blade curiously. Sano raised an eyebrow.

"You mean one of us is causing it?" he asked. Shippo's grin broadened.

"So, whose is it?" Kaoru asked. Shippo studied the sword for a moment before he and Inuyasha looked at each other.

"Feh, don't look at me," the hanyou said. He looked over at the other hanyou in the group. "It's not Namu either and I doubt that it's Sessh…Kenshin."

Kenshin gave a start as the hanyou looked intently at him for a brief moment. The human was still coming to terms with having a youkai soul, let alone knowing how to deal with Inuyasha. He hadn't even touched the Toukijin or the Tenseiga since Shippo first arrived. However, Shippo apparently agreed with the hanyou lord.

"It's not Kenshin. My sword glows violet around him, see?" The kitsune moved the blade in Kenshin's direction, causing it to briefly flare violet.

"What does the violet mean?" Sanosuke asked.

"It glows violet when it senses youkai energy," Inuyasha said. Kaoru gave a tiny gasp. Knowing whose soul Kenshin had was one thing, but actually seeing a demonstration of it was another matter. She placed a hand on Kenshin's arm. The red-haired swordsman just stared at the sword.

"So if I'm not causing it, who is?" Kenshin asked.

"There's three other humans here, aren't there?" Inuyasha barked. Sano thought perhaps it was his imagination, but he thought he saw Kenshin's eyes briefly flash amber. That wasn't a good sign.

Shippo glared at the hanyou, but Inuyasha ignored him. _Stubborn baka, _the kitsune thought. Jaken glared at him too. In the old youkai's mind, duty to Kenshin now came before duty to Inuyasha. Kenshin leveled a gaze at the hanyou, but said nothing.

Sanosuke, Kaoru, and Yahiko looked at each other before Kaoru's eyes suddenly shone in delight.

"Spiritual powers, you mean like a priestess?" Sano nudged her lightly with his elbow.

"Don't get your hopes up, Missie."

"But I might have spiritual power!" Kaoru already have visions of it dancing in her head.

"You have powers all right, but they're hardly spiritual," Sano cracked.

"Hmm, you may be righ…Hey! Exactly what is _that _supposed to mean?"

"I think she's the one with the youkai soul, not Kenshin," Yahiko said.

"She's certainly evil enough," Sano agreed. Shippo shook a fist at him.

"Are you implying something human!"

"I wasn't talking about _you_ fox!" Meanwhile, Kaoru's face was reddening with anger as she glared at Sanosuke and Yahiko. Namu and Sango wisely took shelter behind a tree as she whirled on Kenshin.

"Kenshin! You're not going to let them say that about me, are you?"

"Uhh…" Kenshin said. Kaoru growled at him, causing the red-haired swordsman to jump. Inuyasha, Shippo, and Jaken had retreated by this time. Inuyasha may have only met Kaoru half an hour ago, but he'd seen that same dangerous expression on Kagome and Sango's faces before. Kenshin mentally prayed to whatever celestial forces might be nearby.

"Uhh…this one does not believe you to be evil, that he doesn't. This one thinks that Miss Kaoru is very generous and kindhearted to allow all of us to stay here, that he does," he said with as much humility that he could muster. Fortunately, it worked. Kaoru immediately brightened into a smile.

"It's nice to know that _someone _around here is an excellent judge of character. So…" she glared over at where Shippo, Jaken, and Inuyasha were currently hiding behind their drawn weapons, "…you three can come out of hiding now!" All three of them jumped.

"I think she really is evil," Inuyasha whispered as Jaken nodded in agreement.

"Shut up, she might hear you," Shippo muttered back.

They returned to the others. Knowing that there was only one way to settle the debate, Shippo walked over to the humans. He held out his sword to Sanosuke, but nothing happened. The kitsune repeated this same action with Kaoru, but again nothing happened. Her face became disappointed.

All eyes turned to Yahiko.

"You're not saying…" Sano began. Shippo held the blade out to the boy and it glowed blue.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Raizel smirked to herself. Kagura expected her to kill Inuyasha and his brother's reincarnation. Kagura expected her to destroy the sword. Kagura expected Raizel to obey her.

Raizel had other plans.

The female youkai examined a small, shiny jewel in her hand. It was nothing more than an imitation of the Shikon jewel, but it still held power. Kagura had discovered that a hanyou had once tried to recreate the Sacred Jewel. Inuyasha had killed the hanyou many years ago, but what he and his friends had failed to realized was that he had hidden away his research notes and some of his imitation jewels.

Kagura didn't know that Raizel possessed one of those imitation jewels.

The female youkai tossed the jewel and caught it with her pale fingers. She would wait until nightfall, she decided. Then she would catch the hanyou and the Battousai off guard. Her green lips turned up in a cold smile.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I have spiritual powers?" Yahiko exclaimed. Sanosuke, Kaoru, and Kenshin gaped down at the young boy.

"Oro?" Kenshin asked in disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me," Sano and Kaoru both said at the same time. Yahiko stuck his tongue out at them. Inuyasha walked over and placed a clawed hand on Yahiko's head.

"Shippo's sword doesn't lie. This little kid could be a monk or a shrine keeper," Inuyasha said.

"I'M NOT LITTLE!" Yahiko yelled in dismay.

"Shut up kid, you're little!"

"NO I'M NOT!"

"You're pretty brash for a pipsqueak," the hanyou told him. Yahiko's face reddened. Inuyasha threw a few more taunts at him until the boy couldn't stand it anymore. He leapt at the hanyou and tried to hit him. Tried. Inuyasha held him out by the collar as Yahiko thrashed around in anger.

"Oh cut it out, will ya? Shippo was even more of a pipsqueak than you are now," Inuyasha barked. The kitsune growled at him. It did cause Yahiko to calm down as he eyed Shippo.

"Really?" the boy asked. Shippo answered him with a single reply.

"Feh."

Inuyasha set Yahiko back on the ground. It was then that Yahiko noticed that his older friends were whispering among themselves.

"What?" Yahiko asked icily. Kenshin threw up his hands in defense and gave an innocent smile.

"We're talking about nothing, that we are."

"Do I look stupid Kenshin?"

"You really want him to answer that?" Sano asked.

"SHUT UP!"

"Could you really imagine Yahiko as a monk?" Kaoru asked. The three friends looked at each other as they tried to picture it. Kaoru giggled. Seconds later, Kenshin and Sanosuke began to snicker. Then all three of them began to laugh hysterically.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Yahiko yelled. He hit Sanosuke over the head with his bokken.

"He couldn't be any worse than Miroku," Inuyasha muttered. Shippo agreed before giving a start.

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"The sword, the blue turned slightly violet when Yahiko became angry," he answered. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow as he looked at the sword. The kitsune and the hanyou looked at each other.

"You think that maybe he has youkai in his blood?" Shippo asked. Inuyasha grunted as he looked at the boy, who was currently harassing Sanosuke.

"It's possible," Inuyasha agreed. "If he does, it couldn't be more than a few drops." The hanyou continued to watch the boy, new possibilities turning in his mind.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Nighttime again. Megumi had come over for dinner and had walked in to find Inuyasha lounging on the floor. Kenshin had been in the kitchen, attempting to teach Namu and Sango how to cook. Kaoru had been giving Yahiko more lessons at the time, which Inuyasha had watched briefly. Sanosuke had tried to get Shippo to gamble with him.

The doctor had tried to examine Inuyasha's ears, but the stubborn hanyou had refused. Disappointed, Megumi had then cornered Namu in the kitchen and talked him into letting her look at his. Sanosuke had taken one look at the embarrassed red-haired fox hanyou before stepping in. He had then proceeded to drag a protesting Megumi away from the relieved teenager.

Yahiko stared up at the ceiling. He'd never guessed that he could ever be anything else than a swordsman. All Yahiko had ever wanted to do was be a samurai like his father.

He rolled over and tucked his bokken under his arm. The sword that protects people. The boy might insult his master a lot, but he did truly respect Kaoru. Someday he would master the Kamiya Kasshin. Someday he was going to be like the closest man he now had to a father. Someday he wanted to be like Kenshin.

The boy's eyes slowly closed as he drifted off into sleep.

Up above him on the roof, Shippo and Inuyasha lay on their backs as they stared up at the stars. Everyone else had gone to sleep.

"What do you think?" Shippo asked softly.

"About the Sesshoumaru or the kid?"

"Both." Inuyasha was silent for a time.

"He's not like I expected him to be."  
"Is that a compliment?"

"I don't know yet."

"The sword he carries is a reverse-blade sword. I guess he made an oath a while back to never take another human life."

Inuyasha looked at him with surprise and Shippo told him about everything that had happened. The kitsune could see him turning everything over in his mind. Shippo decided to ask him another question.

"What do you think about the kid?"

"Who knows? If he does have youkai blood, it's not very much. There's really no way to tell for sure if he has any," Inuyasha replied. They stared silently up at the stars. Shippo knew what was on Inuyasha's mind.

"You think he's Inutari's descendant, don't you?" he asked. Inuyasha sighed.

"It's probably just wishful thinking."

"Yahiko has latent spiritual powers and possibly even a tiny bit of youkai blood. I'd say it's possible Inuyasha."

Inuyasha didn't say anything. His son had died during the Great Youkai War, and Inuyasha had never really gotten over it. They had found the body of Inutari's wife, but never that of their daughter's. Inuyasha, Amaya, Shippo, Souten, Kirara, and Kouryuu had spent months after the war scoring the countryside for the child, but had never found her. Even Kouga and Ayame had sent their wolves out searching, but no body had ever been found. They had all eventually come to the heartbreaking conclusion that Inutari's daughter had been killed. But maybe they had been wrong.

Maybe she had survived.

However, as Inuyasha had pointed out, there was really no way to tell.

The two of them dozed off for a while until Inuyasha rose to an elbow and looked at Shippo. The kitsune opened an eye to look at the older man.

"What?"

Inuyasha grunted as he lay back down. Shippo waited and finally the hanyou spoke up.

"You know, I never knew my old man growing up. I don't know if my life would have been easier if I had, but…"

"Inuyasha." Shippo had an idea where this was going.

"Namu needs you Shippo."

"Funny, he seems to prefer you."

"Do I detect a hint of bitterness, fox?" Shippo sighed at that. He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. A pair of amber eyes bore into him.

"I don't blame you Inuyasha," Shippo finally said. "I'm glad Namu is staying with you. You know what he's going through as a hanyou. You can help him in ways that I can't." Inuyasha's eyes continued to stare at him.

"Souten doesn't have a problem with him. Kagome, Nariko, and Sango don't have a problem with him. Namu gets along a helluva lot better with his half sisters than I ever did with Sesshoumaru. Why is it that you two have a problem with each other?" Inuyasha asked quietly. Shippo flinched.

"Namu doesn't want me; he's made that clear Inuyasha. I know he resents me for not being there for him and his mother."

"Namu thinks you don't want him."

"That's not true."

"You need to talk to him."

"Namu won't listen to me, you know that."

"Dammit Shippo!" Inuyasha yelled. The hanyou realized how loud he was getting and immediately lowered his voice.

"Shippo, Kagome and I raised you as if you were our own son. I didn't think that I would have to raise your son too."

"Inuyasha…"

"Look, Shippo, I'm not complaining. I care for Namu as if he was mine. I'm not complaining about taking care of him. What I am complaining about is the fact that he has a chance to know his father, a chance that I never had. I'm complaining about the fact that I can't be in my own son's life anymore and that you won't be in the life of the one you have."

"Inuyasha, just drop it okay?"

Inuyasha gave a 'feh'. He decided to drop it for the night, but this wasn't the end of it. The hanyou rolled over onto his side, facing away from the kitsune. Because of that, he failed to see the silent tear that rolled down the kitsune's face.

Underneath them, an awake Sanosuke and Kenshin exchanged looks in the darkness. They had heard every word.

……………………………………………………………..

_Author's note: Kouryuu is the dragon that hung out with Souten in an episode of Inuyasha._

_Next time on **Chapter 11:** **Possession**- Raizel makes her move and a familiar face appears. Or is that two familiar faces? I will try to update sooner than usual._


	11. Possession

**Chapter 11: Possession**

_It had all started with a sword. From the moment he had met the boy, it had all begun with the sword._

_A group of bandits had attacked a young boy who could have been no more than nine or ten years old. The swords master had killed the men and left. But his conscience had kept preying on him until the man finally went looking for the boy. He'd found the red-head standing amidst freshly dug graves the next day, staring at the three graves of his friends. The boy had even buried the slave traders and the bandits._

_"What's your name child?" The boy looked up at him solemnly before answering._

_"Shinta."_

_Shinta. Hiko Seijuro studied the child and wondered if he dared to do what he was considering. With the way the country was, the boy didn't have much for options. That is, if even lived into adulthood._

_"Shinta is too soft a name for a future swordsman." No going back now. "From now on your name is to be Kenshin." Kenshin…Sword Heart. The boy looked up at him in surprise before nodding his head._

_It had all started with a sword._

_A little more than a year later, Seijuro looked behind him with an air of annoyance. Although he really wasn't irritated, it did serve as a great motivator for young Kenshin._

_"Kenshin!"_

_The boy staggered up the mountain path to where his master was waiting impatiently. His short legs wobbled from the strain and his breathing came in ragged gasps. His now soaked red hair clung stickily to the back of his neck._

_Kenshin didn't complain. He was old enough to know the alternative route his young life might have taken. The former slave had only complained once and Seijuro had given him a thump to the head for it._

_The Master of the Hiten Mitsurugi watched the boy struggle up the treacherous terrain. His heart was in it; that was good. But his strength was waning. Perhaps he needed a little encouragement._

_"Hurry up Baka-chan, before I'm old and decrepid!" That did it. The boy's eyes lit up in outrage as he raced up the trail with newfound energy._

_"Don't call me Baka-chan!" Kenshin yelled. Seijuro grinned as he turned and sprinted effortlessly up the mountain. The swords master gave an arrogant swirl of his long white coat as he laughed at Kenshin, further agitating the young boy._

_"Shut up!" Kenshin yelled at him._

_"Hah! I see you still have energy left; I guess I'm not working you hard enough!" Seijuro yelled from up above._

_"Working hard enough! I can barely walk!" An amused Seijuro began to fire off a retort when he heard Kenshin scream._

_Had the man now known as Hiko Seijuro not been the current master of the Hiten Mitsurugi, then Kenshin surely would have been dead._

_Seijuro's blade met the boar youkai before it could sink its tusks into the exhausted young boy. The youkai's mouth frothed with foam as its bloodless eyes stared into Seijuro's own. As it prepared to charge him, Seijuro calmly slipped into a Gedan stance. He was not prepared for what happened next._

_His young apprentice slipped between them and leapt at the youkai. Seijuro tried to grab him, but somehow the child eluded his grasp. Kenshin screamed inhumanly at the youkai as he wrapped a hand around a tusk and swung up onto its back._

_Seijuro watched in astonishment as the boy rammed a sharp stone into the back of the youkai's neck. Momentarily stunned, the boar lost its balance and Kenshin fell from it. He landed on all fours and stared up at Seijuro._

_A pair of red-tinged golden eyes glared up at the stunned swords master._

_"Kenshin," Seijuro said. The boy growled at him. Alarmed, Seijuro tightened the grip on his sword. What had happened to the child?_

_The boar youkai shook itself and refocused its eyes on the human child in front of it._

_"Kenshin!" Seijuro yelled again. The boy turned around, but not quickly enough to entirely avoid the charging youkai. The force of the blow knocked Kenshin aside._

_"Kenshin!" Seijuro boomed. Before the youkai could mount another assault, Seijuro swiftly killed it. Its decapitated head fell to the ground with a thump. He resheathed his sword and raced after the boy, who had tumbled some ways down the mountain._

_"Kenshin?"_

_Seijuro's eyebrows furrowed in concern. The boy lay motionless as he approached. A heavy gash had formed above Kenshin's eyes. Seijuro lightly touched his apprentice, causing him to groan. Kenshin's eyes fluttered open in confusion as he stared blearily up at his master. His eyes were normal again._

_"Master?" he croaked._

_"Careful Kenshin, I think you have a concussion."_

_"What happened Master?"_

_Seijuro paused. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at the young red head._

_"You don't remember anything?" The boy winced as he tried to shake his head no._

_"No, I just remember chasing you."_

_"…That's all?"_

_"Yes."_

_Seijuro stared down at Kenshin in astonishment before gently picking him up. He carried the boy up to the youkai and showed him the body._

_"Do you remember now?"_

_"…No Master, I'm sorry," Kenshin replied. The Master looked down at his apprentice, but the boy had already closed his eyes. Seijuro studied the unconscious child for a long moment before finally starting down the mountain._

Hiko Seijuro opened his eyes and sat up. Of all the memories to dream about, why had that one come up? The swords master walked outside to stare up at the night sky.

The Master of the Hiten Mitsurugi wasn't a superstitious man, but he also believed that a smart man paid attention to his dreams. Seijuro looked out to the horizon, to where Tokyo lay many miles away.

What was his bumbling apprentice up to now?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"What is it Kenshin?"

Kenshin was on his feet, staring at the door. His reverse sword was halfway out of its sheath.

"Wake Miss Kaoru and the others up Sanosuke."

Sanosuke needed not to have bothered. Inuyasha pounded on the roof and yelled for everyone to get the hell up. Jaken awoke with a snort and grabbed his staff. Sango and Namu were already alert.

"What's going on?" Kaoru asked, now fully awake. She and Yahiko were both gripping their bokkens. Her words fell on deaf ears. Kenshin had already run outside. Sanosuke ran after him, pausing only to grab the Hiraikotsu that Shippo had given him.

Raizel fanned herself as her green lips smirked at the gathering. Inuyasha and Shippo were both standing in front of her now with drawn swords. Her smirk deepened as Kenshin joined them.

"So this is the mighty Sesshoumaru," she purred. "How does it feel to be a mere mortal now?" She was rewarded with a cold reply.

"This one is Himura Kenshin, not Sesshoumaru, that he is." The green haired youkai chuckled lightly to herself as Inuyasha took a threatening step forward.

"What the hell do you want wench?"

"Wench? That's not a very nice way to address a lady, hanyou."

"Feh," Inuyasha growled. "I've known ladies and you ain't one. Now answer me wench, who the hell are you?"

"Me?" Raizel licked her lips seductively. "I'm the Hand of the Spider."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he stared at the woman. He heard Shippo growl softly at his side while Kenshin told Sanosuke to look after the others.

"The Hand of the Spider huh? Tell me wench, why did your cronies have Naraku's mark on their chests?" Inuyasha growled. The female youkai threw back her head and laughed.

"Oh, _I'm _not the leader of the Hand. I will say that those youkai that your friends faced yesterday were just low-class soldiers, I however, am not."

Inuyasha turned to Shippo and the kitsune nodded his head in agreement. The youkai he had killed were just low-class scum. They turned their attention back to the youkai as she took a step forward.

"Not another step wench, what do you want?" Inuyasha growled.

"Such manners…" she purred. "I would have expected better from the Lord of the Western Lands, unless you…" Inuyasha didn't let her finish. He leapt at her with the intention of slicing through the wind scar, but she teleported out of the way.

"Where the hell did she…" Inuyasha spun around to see the youkai standing next to Kenshin.

"My my, what a pretty face you have," she crooned at Kenshin. She reached out to touch his cross-shaped scar, but Kenshin pulled one of his own disappearing acts. _He's fast! _Inuyasha thought with some shock. Kenshin was now standing next to Sanosuke.

"That wasn't very nice," Raizel purred, "You're just as well mannered as your brother." Kenshin replied coldly again.

"This one is Himura Kenshin, that he is. Now please answer Inuyasha's question, what business do you have here?"

"Hmm, you're even polite when you're angry. That's rare in a man. How would you like to be my pet?" Kenshin's eyes narrowed into slits and Inuyasha saw them flash yellow. Kaoru, for her part, had become enraged at the female youkai.

"KENSHIN'S NO ONE'S PET! NOW GET OUT OF MY DOJO!" Kaoru went in to attack the smiling youkai, but Kenshin pulled her back.

"Kaoru stay back…" Kenshin warned.

"But Ken…" Kaoru gasped in realization. He hadn't called her Miss Kaoru, which meant that the Battousai was near the surface. This wasn't good.

Raizel smiled to herself. _So Sesshoumaru has a woman…interesting. _She could make use of that new piece of information. She supposed she had better get to the point.

"I've come for your swords, Sesshoumaru."

Kenshin said nothing. Inuyasha felt a few hairs rise on the back of his neck. The human's personality seemed to have taken a whole turnaround. Shippo turned to his children.

"Look after the swords," the kitsune ordered. Sango nodded and ran back into the house. Namu raced after his sister, for once not arguing with his father. Jaken was torn between following them or staying near Kenshin. The kitsune turned back to the intruder.

"Who are you woman?" Shippo asked. She gave a hrumph as she answered.

"My name is Raizel and I serve Kagura, even if not for long."

_Kagura? _Inuyasha and Shippo's eyes narrowed as they stared at the woman.

"But how…?" Shippo asked. Kagura was dead; they had both watched her die. Kouga had stuck her head on a stake in the mountain side. Her head…he and Inuyasha looked at each other as realization hit them. Kagura's head had disappeared nearly seventy years ago, but they hadn't thought much of it.

"Sorcery…" Shippo growled. Sanosuke tightened his grip on the Hiraikotsu as he stared at the youkai.

"What do you mean by 'not for long', wench?" Sanosuke growled. Inuyasha and Shippo looked back at him with surprise. They had forgotten he was there. They looked at each other before staring back at her.

"Answer Sanosuke," Shippo warned. The youkai merely smiled malevolently as she flipped out her fan to wave herself again.

"All this talk is boring me to tears, give me the swords," she demanded.

"Go to hell," Inuyasha replied. Raizel smirked as she held out the fake Sacred Jewel. Both the kitsune and the hanyou gasped.

"Inuyasha…" Shippo started.

"There's no way that's the Sacred Jewel," Inuyasha replied.

"Of course not you fools, it's a fake. However, even a fake Shikon jewel has some power if given to the right person."

Yahiko's eyes widened at the jewel in her hand. He felt something strange from it, as if it had a faint presence. He could be blind and still be able to point at its exact spot. The young swordsman didn't understand what this meant.

The boy looked over at Kenshin, who was still standing silently. A deadly calmness had settled on the former Ishin Shishi, raisng a few chills in the young boy.

"Kenshin!" he yelled.

"Yahiko, stay back." Kenshin's voice seemed to have gained a greater intensity. The part of his mind that was still the Ishin Shishi was screaming for him to kill the woman. Kenshin's self-control was slipping.

The red-haired swordsman lunged at the youkai, but she disappeared with a laugh. Kenshin paused before breaking out of the Battousai in a panic.

"The swords!" Kenshin yelled. "She's in the house!"

Inuyasha swore as he, Shippo, and Kenshin started for the house. Sanosuke had already pushed Kaoru and Yahiko out of the way as he headed in. Shippo beat him to it as fatherly concern for his children took hold of his heart.

"Sango! Namu!" A blast pushed Shippo and Sanosuke out of the house. The kitsune was immediately on his feet and racing back toward the house with his heart beating in his chest.

Raizel stood in the doorway. She had one clawed hand around Namu's throat and another wrapped in Sango's hair. The small kitsune hugged the swords to her chest, unwilling to give them up.

"NO!" Shippo lunged in fury at the youkai, with an enraged Inuyasha not far behind. The kitsune's eyes were now glowing red in hatred.

"Not another move," Raizel warned, "Unless you want your children to die kitsune."

Shippo paused before he could strike her. He wanted nothing more than to rip the youkai's throat out. Inuyasha was having similar thoughts as he growled dangerously at the green-haired woman.

"The swords girl, give them to me," Raizel ordered. Sango shook her head and cried out in pain as Raizel yanked her head back. Shippo lunged at her.

"I said stay back kitsune!" Raizel shoved Namu in front of her and Shippo stopped himself. His blade hovered just inches from his son's heart. The kitsune hastily pulled it back. A deep growl burned his throat as he hatefully glared at the female youkai.

Inuyasha growled to himself. It was a stalemate. She needed to be distracted, but how? He cursed the youkai, causing her to smile sweetly at him. The hanyou spat at the ground and charged the woman in anger. Raizel threw Namu at him before he could do anything. Both hanyous crashed into the ground and rolled.

"DAMN YOU WENCH!" Shippo yelled. He ran at the youkai with the Kadouki in hand. Raizel teleported out of the way before the infuriated kitsune could attack. She held Sango in front of her.

"I spared your son, shall I kill your daughter kitsune?" The kitsune bared his fangs at her. Raizel reached down to take the Tenseiga from the girl, but the sword rejected her touch. The blade clattered to the ground. This caused Sanosuke to smirk at her.

"I guess it doesn't like you," he quipped.

"No matter," Raizel said, "It's the Toukijin I'm after." She reached down for the other sword, but Yahiko brought his pick pocketing skills into play. The young boy had managed to sneak close enough to the youkai that he was able to grab the Toukijin and run. Raizel smirked to herself. _This is too easy. _Yahiko had done exactly as she wanted.

"Yahiko!" Kaoru yelled.

"I got it!" Yahiko yelled, but then he froze. A shiny fragment on the sword drew Inuyasha's attention.

"She put the fake jewel on the sword!" The hanyou yelled. Kenshin and Sanosuke ran toward Yahiko, but a blast of youkai energy threw them back.

"YAHIKO!" Kenshin yelled. Raizel began to laugh. The others watched in horror as a demonic miasma poured from the Toukijin's blade and enveloped the boy.

"What the hell…" Inuyasha muttered. Raizel threw Sango to the side as she started for Yahiko.

"What fools," Raizel laughed. "To keep a sword that was created from an incarnation of Naraku."

Yahiko gave a hoarse scream and was suddenly silent. The miasma poured into his mouth and the boy's body jerked back. He stood silently for a moment before opening his eyes. They glowed a violent red as a familiar deep laugh boomed from the boy.

"That voice, it's…" Shippo started.

"Naraku," Raizel finished. She smiled coldly at the others. "Naraku poured his soul into that sword before he died. That fake Shikon jewel and the boy's spiritual powers have woken him up."

"YAHIKO!" Kaoru screamed. Kenshin stood deadly still as he shook in cold rage. Something snapped inside of him. As Jaken took a step back, he looked to where the Tenseiga was still lying. It was pulsating. The little youkai yelled at Kenshin.

"Master! Your sword!"

Kenshin didn't hear. The Battousai had broken loose and all he wanted was blood. As the enraged Kenshin raced toward Raizel, the unseen form of a human spirit looked on in horror.

The human soul reached an invisible hand out to the living. The dead monk could not just sit back and watch.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Author's note: Next time on **Chapter 12: Battle for Yahiko**- As everyone fights to release Yahiko from Naraku's control, can Kenshin control the Battousai within?_

_As you can see, I've decided to throw the arrogant Master of the Hiten Mitsurugi himself into the fray. I do plan to throw some minor RK characters in as well, but am still undecided about Aoshi or Enishi._


	12. Battle for Yahiko

**Chapter 12: Battle for Yahiko**

Blood.

The Battousai wanted her blood.

Raizel laughed as she teleported out of the way of the enraged Kenshin. The youkai pulled a shuriken from her sleeve and threw it at the human. He dodged it as he swung toward her, eyes blazing furious gold. It was then that Raizel noticed the blood on her sleeve. The human had cut her.

It wasn't much, just a minor flesh wound; however it put the youkai on guard. Apparently the stories of the infamous Battousai were true. Raizel narrowed her eyes as she teleported next to the Naraku-possessed Yahiko.

The Battousai anticipated her move as he appeared next to her. But before he could make a move, a clawed hand dug into his chest. The Battousai gritted his teeth in pain as he jumped back. He hissed at the deep male voice that taunted him.

"Who is this human that dares to attack us, woman? I sense a youkai's power within him." Yahiko's lips quirked up in an inhuman smile as his now red eyes glowed dangerously. He flexed his bloodied hand. Raizel turned and went down on one knee.

"Lord Naraku, this man is the reincarnation of Sesshoumaru."

"Sesshoumaru?" Naraku closed Yahiko's eyes as he accessed the boy's memories. "Yes…yes I see. Interesting." The possessed child turned to mock a horrified Inuyasha.

"So, the hanyou still lives I see. Tell me Inuyasha, where is your wench priestess?"

"You son of a…." Inuyasha raised the Tetsusaiga.

"Inuyasha, no!" Shippo yelled. Inuyasha growled as he lowered the weapon. He didn't want to hurt Yahiko. The hanyou stared at the clawed hands on Yahiko. Naraku chuckled malevolently as he studied his hands.

"Spiritual powers and traces of dog youkai blood, tell me Inuyasha, is this whelp a descendant of yours?" Inuyasha growled at him.

"YAHIKO!" Kaoru screamed. She ran toward the boy.

"KAORU! DON'T!" Sanosuke tried to grab her, but the stubborn woman was too intent on saving her student. "KAORU!" Shippo swore as he left his injured children. Sango leaned painfully against her older brother. Namu watched as his father attempted to stop Kaoru and he clenched his fist when Naraku flung a poisonous miasma at her.

Kaoru swayed as she coughed violently from the fumes. An angry Kenshin appeared in front of her as Inuyasha grabbed her wrist and lifted her clear of the poison. Kenshin began turning his sword in a rapid circular arc until he dispelled the deadly fumes. The reverse sword slowly came to a halt and Kenshin held the sword out in front of him.

"Sesshoumaru…even with a reverse sword, will you risk killing this child?" Naraku taunted. The Battousai stared coldly at him. _Don't kill Yahiko! _The Battousai paused before attacking. _No more blood! _The part of his mind that belonged to the rurouni insisted yet again. _Don't kill Yahiko! _Don't kill Yahiko. Don't kill…don't kill…

Naraku watched in interest as the human's eyes flickered from yellow to blue and back again. Sesshoumaru's reincarnation pointed his blade at the resurrected hanyou.

"Naraku," the Battousai's cold voice intoned, "You should have remained dead." He lowered his sword to his midsection and prepared to attack. _NO! _The swordsman paused as he struggled internally. _If you kill Naraku, you'll kill Yahiko! _Yahiko…

"I…can't kill Yahiko," he said softly. Kenshin pushed the Ishin Shishi away, but his eyes still glowed yellow. He could only keep the Battousai at bay for so long. Kenshin stared horrified at Yahiko. What could he do? _Tenseiga… _A faint voice whispered in his mind.

"Milord!" Jaken raced toward Kenshin as he dragged the Tenseiga behind him. "Milord!" Naraku narrowed his eyes as the saw the sword. He turned the boy's body to seek out Raizel. The green-haired youkai nodded at him before teleporting to Jaken.

Jaken gasped and covered his head as Raizel swiped at him with a poisoned shuriken. The little youkai heard a clunk, followed by a female's swearing. He looked up to see Sanosuke standing over him, using the Hiraikotsu as a shield. The shuriken had bounced off the bone weapon. Sano gave a wry grin behind his new weapon. He was really starting to like the Hiraikotsu.

Raizel hissed at Sanosuke and tried to slice through his weapon. All she managed to do was push the human back a few feet, but the Hiraikotsu refused to budge. She bared a set of fangs and was preparing to teleport behind him when a sharp pain dug into her back.

The woman screamed as she felt her back split open. She whirled painfully around to see the kitsune glaring hatefully at her. Her blood dripped down Shippo's blade as he brought it up again.

"That was for my children, witch. The next will be for Yahiko," Shippo growled. He managed to graze her throat with his Kadouki before she teleported away. The kitsune growled after her. When this was over, he would hang her head in his and Souten's main hall at home. If there was even a head by the time he was done with her.

He and Sanosuke eyed each other for a moment before looking down at the Tenseiga in Jaken's hands. It was pulsating brightly. Sano's mouth hung open slightly as he stared at the sword. Jaken started to run toward Kenshin again, but Shippo's hand caught him and held him up.

"Shippo! I have to…"

"Get the Tenseiga to Kenshin, I know."

"Then why…"

"Because I need you to protect my children." Jaken looked up at the kitsune's green eyes. They were burning with a hatred that he had never seen in Shippo before. The smaller youkai nodded his head in assent. Shippo put him down and reached for the sword.

"Sano and I will get the Tenseiga to Kenshin."

Jaken watched Shippo and Sanosuke race toward Kenshin with the sword. He sighed wearily as he carried his staff over to the kitsune's children. Jaken stood in front of them at the ready. He wasn't going to let any more harm come to them.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Kaoru had joined Kenshin again. The hanyou had intended to leave Kaoru out of danger, but the stubborn woman had twisted his ear and told him no. She had the same strong spirit that Sango and his Kagome had possessed. Inuyasha admired that.

Yahiko seemed to swim in a sea of foggy red. He heard faint voices, but they were muted and incoherent. The boy tried to call out for Kenshin, but he had no voice. In a panic, he yelled for Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Megumi. Hot, suffocating air seemed to press against him and the boy screamed wordlessly for Kenshin again. He was answered by a reverberating, deep laugh.

"**_Stay silent boy, you are no more than a ghost now." _**No! Yahiko tried to yell at the voice, but he seemed to sink deeper into the red sea. The boy tried to think, but his mind was shutting down. He floated for what seemed to be an eternity until another voice jolted him.

"_Don't give up Yahiko!"_

Who? Who are you? Yahiko tried to ask with his silent voice. Where am I? Where's Kenshin? And Kaoru…

"_Wake up Yahiko, don't let Naraku beat you!"_

Naraku…

"_Wake up Yahiko!"_

A very, very faint image of a young monk materialized in front of Yahiko. He held out a hand to the boy and smiled with encouragement.

_You have the blood of Inuyasha and Kagome, as well as mine and Sango's, flowing inside you. Be strong Yahiko!_

Be strong…

"_WAKE UP YAHIKO!"_

Inuyasha watched in amazement as Naraku suddenly yelled in outrage. His youkai power had suddenly dropped as Yahiko's spiritual power exploded. Yahiko's body actually levitated as various energies battled inside him.

Naraku tightened the boy's right hand around the Toukijin and refused to let go. Yahiko managed to briefly regain control of his left hand. The boy slammed it against his right fist in an attempt to make Naraku drop the sword.

Yahiko brought his fist down again and again until Naraku finally regained control of the hand. His right hand dripped with blood.

"_Yahiko! Don't give up Yahiko!"_

"I…won't…" Yahiko forced out. "I…am the son of a samurai…I am a student of the Kamiya Kasshin…." He lost his voice as Naraku regained control.

"_YAHIKO!"_

The dead monk reached out to him. The boy didn't have the necessary training to repel such a strong possession. He reached an invisible hand out to Yahiko's body and Naraku recoiled from his touch.

Naraku whirled on the human spirit. His soul had sensed the dead monk. He swiped the Toukijin at the human soul.

"Stop interfering Monk!" The youkai possessed blade passed through the monk's invisible form.

Inuyasha blinked in surprise as Naraku swiped at the empty air. _Monk? _The hanyou tightened the grip on the Tetsusaiga and cursed silently. He couldn't use his sword without killing the boy.

"KENSHIN!" Kenshin, Kaoru, and Inuyasha turned to see Shippo and Sanosuke racing towards them. Kenshin's eyes settled on the glowing sword in the kitsune's hand. _Tenseiga…_

Raizel lunged at the two men. However, her injuries slowed her down and she was unable to avoid the Hiraikotsu as Sanosuke swung it at her. She spat out blood as the kitsune paused and started to draw his sword. Sanosuke shoved him toward Kenshin.

"What the hell are you doing fox?" Sano yelled. "Get the sword to Kenshin! You can kill the wench later!" Shippo growled as he complied.

"Kenshin! Head's up!" Shippo shouted as he prepared to throw the Tenseiga to him.

Naraku growled as he swung the Toukijin at the kitsune. A blast of energy ripped from the sword as it raced toward him. The kitsune jumped into the air and transformed into the shape of a silver-feathered hawk. He sped toward Kenshin with the Tenseiga in his talons.

Kenshin felt the weight of the sword as it fell into his hands.

_Tenseiga…_

Kenshin's right hand dropped the reverse sword as he enclosed it around the hilt of the Tenseiga. His left hand gripped the sheath as he pulled it away from the sword. The sword glowed brightly as the human brought it out in front of him.

Naraku hissed as he swung the Toukijin at Kenshin. His attack was repelled by the Tenseiga. The resurrected hanyou recoiled again as he felt invisible fingers dig into his side. That damn monk was interfering again.

"MONK!" Naraku roared as he tried to attack the soul again. Miroku laughed at him.

"SHUT UP!" The possessed Yahiko yelled again. The monk continued to laugh. Kenshin stared in amazement. Now that he held the Tenseiga, he was able to see the faint figure of the dead monk.

"Who's he yelling at?" Inuyasha muttered.

"A…monk…" Kenshin stuttered in answer. The hanyou's eyes widened into giant golden orbs as he stared at the red-haired human. Miroku yelled at Kenshin.

_"Kenshin! Use the Tenseiga! NOW!"_

Kenshin leapt up and swung the Tenseiga down in an arc. Blue energy gushed out from the sword like the raging tides of the sea.

The Toukijin fell from Yahiko's hands. The youkai aura faded from the boy as the claws shrunk from his hands. Black eyes regarded Kenshin for a moment as the boy whispered.

"Kenshin."

Then Yahiko fainted.

Kenshin wished that had been the end of it, but it wasn't. The Tenseiga was a sword of life, not a sword of death. The Toukijin had been made from one of Naraku's incarnations. Naraku's incarnations had been made from his own flesh.

The Tenseiga had brought the Toukijin back to life and it was still possessed with Naraku's soul. The Toukijin turned into back into the fang it had been made from. The fang seemed to sit there for a long moment before it softened and turned into a mass of flesh. It started to move along the ground toward the injured Raizel.

"Oh no you don't!" Inuyasha yelled. He swung the Tetsusaiga at it, but Raizel managed to teleport herself to Naraku. She wrapped her hands around him and teleported away. The hanyou lowered his sword and turned toward the unconscious boy.

"How's the kid?" he asked. Kaoru and Kenshin were kneeling next to Yahiko.

"He's alive," Kaoru answered. A tear slipped from her eye. Kenshin looked around him. The monk was no where to be seen. The swordsman started to resheath his sword as Shippo approached.

"Where's Sano?" Kenshin asked. Shippo paused as his eyes widened. He and the others whirled around to find him. The kitsune growled softly as he remembered the attack Naraku had thrown at him. He had avoided it, but Sanosuke had been in its path too.

"Sanosuke!" Shippo shouted. They heard Sanosuke answer weakly.

"Calm down you stupid fox, I'm alive." Sanosuke leaned heavily on the Hiraikotsu. He'd used the weapon at the last second to protect himself from the blast. He had survived, but not without any injuries. His white clothes were soaked with blood.

"SANO!" Kenshin yelled. He ran to his friend. Sano gave him an impish grin as he fell to a knee. He grunted with pain then. He could feel that some of his ribs had been broken. Sanosuke held up a weak hand to his worried friend.

"It's not as bad as it looks Kenshin."

Kenshin stared at him before pulling the Tenseiga back out of its sheath. He swung the blade at Sanosuke and healed his wounds. A tired Sano grinned wryly at his friend.

"Neat trick," Sano yawned, "But I think I'll take a nap now." He closed his eyes as he leaned against the Hiraikotsu. Kenshin gave a sigh of relief as he sat down next to the sleeping Sanosuke. Kaoru walked up to him, followed by Inuyasha. The hanyou gently cradled Yahiko in his arms. Kaoru stared down at Sanosuke.

"You bum," she murmured, but she said it with a fond smile. She and Kenshin exchanged relieved smiles before she surveyed her dojo.

"My dojo's a wreck…" she moaned softly. Inuyasha's ear twitched as he headed into the house, which had miraculously survived.

"We'll fix it, don't worry Kaoru," Inuyasha reassured her. Shippo headed into the house with Sango under one arm and Namu hung over his shoulder. Kenshin gave a tired sigh as he stood up and dragged Sanosuke into the house with Kaoru and Jaken's help.

He wondered where the monk had gone.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Master? Are you all right?" Raizel stared at the flesh in her hands. No response.

"Master?" She asked again.

Naraku suddenly lunged forward and forced himself into her mouth. The female youkai's body stiffened as Naraku absorbed himself into her body. The skin on her back reknit and healed itself as the image of a spider formed across it. She sat silently for a long time before she began to chuckle with mirth.

Naraku examined his new body with satisfaction.

………………………………………………………..

_Next time on Chapter 13: **The Lecherous Monk Returns**_


	13. The Lecherous Monk Returns

**Chapter 13: The Lecherous Monk Returns**

"All of this happened last night?" Megumi asked with astonishment.

"Yup," Sanosuke answered. The doctor surveyed the damage with wide eyes. Truthfully, it wasn't as bad as it had been before. Inuyasha and Shippo had cleared away the demolished trees and other debris. She had only arrived a little more than an hour ago and had spent much of the time examining the still asleep Yahiko.

"Did you do _anything _to help?" She asked with narrowed eyes. Sanosuke crossed his arms and gave a 'feh'.

"Figures," she said.

"Don't _you _start harping on me now Wench!"

"Well someone needs to!" Megumi retorted. Sanosuke was starting to give a smart reply when Shippo snuck up behind him. The kitsune winked at Megumi as he held up the soapy water that he had just stolen from Kenshin. Splash.

"YOU STUPID FOX!" A drenched and indignant Sanosuke yelled.

"Kaoru's right baka, you really are a bum," Shippo replied. Sanosuke planted a fist in his face. The kitsune kicked him back.

Kenshin flashed an amused smile as they began to chase each other around the house. He looked down at the pile of dirty and half clean laundry.

"It would appear that this one will need more water, that he will," Kenshin mused to himself. Unfortunately, he still had to get the tub back from Shippo. The kitsune was currently using it as a shield against Sanosuke.

"I swear, those two are such juveniles," Kaoru muttered from the doorway. She had just come outside after checking on Yahiko. Inuyasha gave a grunt of agreement from his perch up on the roof as young Sango nodded her head. She and Namu were currently sweeping the deck clean for Kaoru.

Inuyasha watched in amusement as Kenshin vainly attempted to retrieve the washtub from Shippo. But instead of giving it back to Kenshin, Shippo used it to whack Sano again. Kenshin visibly sighed as he stuck out a foot. A distracted kitsune tripped over it as Sano jumped at him. Kenshin grabbed the washtub and quickly ran back to his laundry while the other two lay in a confused heap.

"GET OFF ME BAKA!" Shippo yelled.

"GET YOUR FOOT OUT OF MY FACE FOX!"

A pair of flying stones beamed both of them in the head. They looked up to see a grinning Inuyasha standing over them. The hanyou playfully tossed a few more stones in his hand.

"Are you two going to shut up now?" he asked. The other two gave a 'feh' as they stood up and brushed themselves off. Inuyasha smirked as he jumped back up to his perch on the roof. Sanosuke and Shippo looked at each other.

"You want some sake?" Sano asked.

"Sure."

Megumi and Kaoru just shook their heads. The two women sat in silence on the wooden steps until Kaoru finally looked over at the older woman.

"Megumi…when do you think Yahiko will wake up?" Megumi pursed her lips in thought as she turned her head to stare at the house.

"I don't know, there's nothing physically wrong with him. Sir Ken healed whatever injuries he had with that sword. But as far as spiritually, well….I can't answer that. I'm no priestess."

"I'll say!" Sano quipped. He and Shippo had gone into the house for the sake and had arrived back just in time to hear the 'priestess' remark.

"Shup up!" Megumi yelled. He and Shippo grinned as they walked off with the rice wine. The doctor scowled after them.

"I swear, that man just loves to irritate the hell out of me!" Megumi complained.

"He loves to irritate everyone," Kaoru reminded her.

"True," the doctor replied. They both giggled in amusement.

"Feh, _women_…." Inuyasha muttered up on the roof.

………………………………………………………………….

Yahiko gave a groan as he opened his eyes. He felt slightly disorientated as he looked around him. He saw a flurry of green and heard a clunk as Jaken dropped his staff. The little youkai ran outside waving his hands.

"He's awake! The boy's awake!"

Everyone stopped in their tracks as they stared at Jaken. Then they all jostled to get in the house at once. Kenshin made it in first.

"Yahiko," Kenshin said with a welcoming smile. The boy grinned back.

"What happ…" he started to say, but then stopped. Kenshin gave him a concerned look.

"Yahiko?"

"I thought I heard someone else talking."

"Someone else?"

"Yeah, he sounded surprised."

"He?" Megumi asked. Yahiko looked up to see everyone trying to crowd in. Kenshin reached out a hand as he helped the boy sit up. Yahiko rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around for his bokken. He saw it lying next to him and reached out for it. As his hand touched it, he jerked back in surprise as he heard the voice again, only this time with greater clarity.

_"…being stuck in a sword has got to be the most humiliating thing that…oh wait, no there's been more humiliating things that have happened to me. Being tied to a tree by those villagers was pretty…"_

Yahiko dropped the sword. He stared at it for a moment before reaching a finger out to touch it again.

_"…besides, Inuyasha has done far more embarrassing things to himself, take being stuck to a giant boulder by a trio of monkey sprites, but then again he's never trapped himself in a sword before…THE FATES ARE AGAINST ME TODAY!"_

"Uh, Yahiko? Why are you staring at your bokken?" Kaoru asked. Yahiko ignored her as he addressed the wooden sword.

"Uh…excuse me?" Yahiko said to it.

_"…the indignity of it is just overwhelming…"_

"Hey," Yahiko said.

"Uhh…Yahiko?" Kenshin asked.

"Maybe he hit his head a little too hard," Sano said.

_"…it must have been the blast from the Tenseiga, there's no other explanation…"_

"HEY GUY IN THE SWORD, I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Yahiko yelled at it. The rambling in the sword paused and went silent,

"I think Yahiko's cracked," Sano muttered out loud.

"No I'm not!" Yahiko yelled. "There's a guy talking in my sword! He said he's trapped in there and that the Tenseiga did it to him!"

"There's a guy trapped in your _sword_?" Inuyasha asked flatly in disbelief. Yahiko ignored the hanyou. The voice had started talking again, but this time it was addressing him.

_"Yahiko?"_

"How do you know my name?" Yahiko asked it. There was a pause before the voice answered.

_"Don't you remember anything that happened?"_

"No, not really. It's really hazy," Yahiko said.

"Yahiko, WHY are you talking to your _sword_?" Kaoru asked worriedly.

_"Hmmm…interesting. Well, it may come back to you in time. And…well this is interesting!"_

"What's interesting?" Yahiko asked.

"That's it, Yahiko's definitely insane!" Sano exclaimed.

_"When you hold me…uh…the sword, I can see through your eyes."_

"Really? How…" Yahiko turned to glare at the others. "I AM NOT CRAZY! CAN'T YOU SHUT UP WHEN A GUY'S TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION?"

"He's cracked," Sano whispered.

"NO I'M NOT! THERE'S A GUY IN MY BOKKEN AND HE'S TALKING TO ME!"

"Ummm…Yahiko?" Kenshin asked politely. Yahiko turned a deadly glare on the swordsman. Kenshin raised his hands in defense as he continued. "None of us hear anyone besides you, that we don't." Yahiko's eyes widened as he silently stared at Kenshin.

_"Yahiko?" _the voice asked. _"Tell Kenshin to touch the Tenseiga. He could see me before when he had his hand on it. And tell Shippo to put that sword of his next to me."_

Yahiko did as instructed and the others raised their eyebrows. The boy gave Kenshin an adamant stare and the swordsman finally complied. At first he didn't see anything, not at first. After second glance though, he saw a faint glow around Yahiko's bokken.

"This one thinks that Yahiko may be right," Kenshin said.

_"Well of course he's right!"_

Kenshin's eyes widened. He could hear the voice now that his hand was on the Tenseiga.

"See?" Yahiko said in triumph. "I told you!"

"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.

"He's right, this one just heard the voice as well. It's the voice of the monk I saw during the battle, that it is."

Inuyasha gave a start. _Monk? _There was a monk in Yahiko's sword? He and Shippo exchanged glances as the kitsune drew his sword. He held the Kadouki out next to Yahiko's wooden bokken. The Kadouki flared a brilliant blue.

"The sword's giving off spiritual energy," Shippo said in surprise.

_"Well of course it is, I'm a monk!"_

"Did you hear that Shippo?" Kenshin asked. The kitsune shook his head.

"No, did he say something?"

_"This is great, not only am I stuck in a wooden sword, but no one can hear me!"_

"I can hear you," Yahiko said.

"As can this one," Kenshin agreed.

_"Besides you two."_

Inuyasha bent down to glare at the sword. Yahiko felt a twinge of uneasiness from the sword as the hanyou sniffed it. Inuyasha gave a smirk as he opened his mouth and settled his fangs on the wooden sword in a bite.

The wooden sword zapped him with spiritual energy and Inuyasha found himself flying across the room. He landed in an undignified crash.

**_"INUYASHA!" _**The voice roared indignantly.

Yahiko fell over in laughter as the sword began to rant at the now irate hanyou. Kenshin scratched his head as he looked at the steamed Inuyasha.

"The monk in the sword says that you haven't changed, that he did," Kenshin said.

"Actually he said…" Yahiko began, but Kenshin covered his mouth.

_"…of all the…Inuyasha! You idiot!"_

"I think you made him mad," Yahiko mumbled through Kenshin's hand. Inuyasha was back again, but this time he kept a fair distance from the wooden bokken. He glared dangerously at it.

"Who the hell are you?" he growled. Shippo bent down as well to closer examine the sword. The voice in the sword sighed.

_"Slow as ever I see…"_

Yahiko smirked and Inuyasha glared at him.

"What did he say?" he growled.

"He said…" Kenshin quickly covered Yahiko's mouth again. Inuyasha glared at them suspiciously. After a few seconds of this, Yahiko had finally managed to get away from Kenshin when his hand suddenly moved on its own.

"What the…HEY! Stop controlling me!"

_"Sorry, I didn't know I could do that!"_

"Well don't…!"

_"Hmmm…I wonder…"_

"You wonder what?" Yahiko asked suspiciously.

_"It's been so long since I felt…"_

"It's been so long since you felt what?" Yahiko asked. Involuntarily, Yahiko's left hand suddenly shot out and met a soft surface. The boy's face reddened as he realized that his hand was stroking Megumi's butt.

WHAM.

Yahiko went flying across the room, sword in hand.

Everyone gaped at Yahiko as an enraged Megumi began to scream at him.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Yahiko yelled anxiously. "HE WAS CONTROLLING ME!"

Everything suddenly clicked in Inuyasha and Shippo's minds. Yahiko's sword was possessed by a perverted dead monk with strong spiritual powers? That could only mean one person.

**"MIROKU!" **Inuyasha and Shippo yelled as they lunged at the sword. They were both zapped before they could grab the bokken.

_"Oh dear, why is everyone so angry all of a sudden?"_

Yahiko glared at the sword for a long, icy moment. Then before Miroku could react, Yahiko began banging the bokken against the floor.

Wham. Wham! WHAM!

"YOU MADE ME GROPE MEGUMI'S BUTT!" Yahiko yelled in outrage. He threw the bokken against the wall and Miroku hit it with a thud. The sword bounced off and lay innocently on the floor.

_"Youngsters just have no appreciation these days for the exquisiteness of…"_

Yahiko brought his foot down on the sword and began yelling at it again. Shippo and Inuyasha were both now glaring at the sword. Kenshin sighed.

As if things weren't already weird enough, the day had just gotten stranger.

……………………………

Chapter 14: **Naraku**


	14. Naraku

_Author's Note: Finals are finally done, so I'm hoping to be able to update twice a week instead of once a week. And also, I apologize for the following if any of you aren't Star Wars fans._

_THE REVENGE OF THE SITH IS FINALLY HERE!_

_I also happened to be listening to The Phantom Menace soundtrack as I write this. If you can't tell, I'm a rapid Star Wars fan. I think I'll dedicate this chapter to George Lucas.  
Anyway, on with the story..._

**Chapter 13: Naraku**

Naraku eyed the two youkai lionesses that stood protectively before the great oak doors. They hissed and growled at him with flashing silver eyes, sensing that something was somehow amiss. To all appearances, he was Raizel. He took a step forward and their snarling increased.

He could have killed them, but their loyalty to their master impressed him. Misguided loyalty to be sure, but loyalty all the same. It was a concept that he'd found lacking in the past when it came to servants. Naraku knew from Raizel's memory that these beasts followed strength. If that was the case, then they would be following him in a matter of minutes. There was no point in wasting two good youkai as long as they obeyed him.

Naraku opened his hand and blew the contents from it. It was a light miasma, not enough to kill, but certaintly enough to stun. The two females coughed and weakened, but they refused to settle down. Naraku felt an inkling of admiration as he was forced to give them a stronger dose.

He pushed open the doors as they lay unconscious at his feet. Naraku vowed that he would find a male body as soon as possible. He walked silently to the raised dais. Great tapestries of strange design adorned the walls of the Great Hall. Naraku gathered that these were of European origin. He cast Raizel's red eyes to the head that sat high on the dais.

Kagura.

"I see that you have finally returned Raizel. I heard the commotion outside. Was there a problem?" Her red eyes narrowed at her 'servant'. Naraku lowered Raizel's eyes and bowed her head.

"No my lady," he replied with Raizel's voice. _And the problem I have will be resolved shortly_, Naraku added silently. Kagura eyed him carefully, as if searching for any signs of betrayal.

After a moment of thought, Naraku realized that she probably was. Raizel was intelligent, perhaps too intelligent for her own good. After all, the reason she had released Naraku in the first place was so that Kagura would die. The wench's fear of her subordinate's betrayal was actually justified.

"Did you kill Inuyasha?" Kagura finally asked.

"No lady, I did not." He may be playing the part of Raizel, but he would not call the wench 'Master'. "However," Naraku continued in Raizel's voice, "I did discover something very interesting." Kagura raised an eyebrow at that.

"Interesting?" she asked. "What did you find?" Naraku smiled inwardly at her tone. Kagura suspected something. Fortunetely for him, Kagura had never been very good at manipulation.

"If I may, my lady, may I step forward to show you?" Naraku made a show of looking around him, as if suspecting unfriendly eyes.

Kagura eyed her servant suspiciously. As much as she distrusted the woman, her lionesses _had_ let her through. She carelessly threw aside her suspicions as she assented to the woman's request.

"Come forward then," she said sharply. "And be quick about it!" Was it merely her imagination, or did Raizel just smile then? Something about that smile reminded her of her former master.

Naraku stepped forward, still keeping his eyes lowered to the ground. He pretended to pull an object from Raizel's kimono. He held out an enclosed fist to the decapitated head.

"Well?" Kagura asked eagerly. A faint trickle of uneasiness tickled the back of her mind. "Raizel?"

"Kagura."

Kagura gasped in fear. That had not been a woman's voice. Her servant lifted her head and stared insolently at her with an all too familiar smirk.

Naraku.

Kagura started to shriek, but Naraku slammed his other hand against her mouth. She tried to bite it, but Naraku released a miasma into her mouth.

As she hacked and coughed, her eyes widened in terror. Naraku bent Raizel's head down so that it was on level with her's. He whispered softly into her ear.

"You belong to me Kagura. It's time to return to where you first came."

Kagura screamed wordlessly as her vision swam and blackened. She had the sensation of being sucked into a tunnel. Horror filled her as she heard Naraku's voice laughing in her mind.

_"NO!"_ She silently screamed. Naraku laughed.

_"Return to me Kagura."_

And she did, in truth, there was nothing she could have done. The flesh of Raizel's hand had softened and enveloped the other youkai's head. In this way, Kagura was absorbed back into the body of her creator.

Naraku sighed contently as he took a seat on the dias. Raizel's green hair slowly darkened into the black of Kagura's. Other than that, no other physical change appeared. Naraku closed his eyes as he accessed the wench's memories. He searched for something that had intrigued him from Raizel's mind. There.

The Hand of the Spider.

Naraku tapped his chin thoughtfully. So that little project of his had survived after all. Interesting.

He continued to sift through Kagura's mind as he uncovered every plan, every plot of hers. Some were ridiculous, not surprising, coming from Kagura. But others...

With a little refinement of his own, they might actually have merit. There was one in fact that intrigued him.

Kagura had been planning to steal the ashes of a certain priestess. However, there was one thing that concerned him.

If Kagome was resurrected, could he bind her to his will? It might be difficult, but the rewards would far outweigh the difficulties if he could succeed. The look on Inuyasha's face would be reward enough.

This would take some thought.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_"I strongly protest this treatment!"_ Miroku complained.

"Oh shut up Miroku!" Inuyasha growled down at the wooden sword in his hand. Quite by accident, he had recently discovered that he could hear the monk if he had a grip on the sword. Recently as in ten minutes ago.

Miroku considered shocking the hanyou again and decided against it. Being berated by Inuyasha was definetely preferable to being beaten by Kaoru.

It's not like he had really meant to look in on Kaoru as he bathed, it just sort of happened. The dead monk had found that with just the right jolt of spiritual energy he could move the sword in little hops along the ground. Was it really his fault that he had accidently flung himself into the washroom? And was it equally his fault that a naked Kaoru was standing in the tub?

Apparently she thought so.

And now he was being twirled carelessly in a certain hanyou's hand. Even if Miroku escaped and accidentally ventured near the washroom again, a slightly bewildered Kenshin had been placed on sentry duty in front of the door.

"...I swear, don't you ever change Miroku?" Inuyasha was saying. "I mean, you're a married man with descendants for crying out loud. If Sango were here..." Miroku blocked out the rest.

Sango.

If Miroku still had a body, there would have been a pain in his chest. He thought of the beautiful youkai slayer that he'd been blessed to grow old with.

Sango.

Inuyasha trailed off as he realized that his friend was no longer paying any attention to him.

"Miroku?"

Silence.

Inuyasha stared down at the wooden bokken. Why had Miroku suddenly shut up? Was it..oh...

He'd been talking about Sango.

Inuyasha stared down at his friend, not knowing what to say. An uncomfortable silence surrounded them until the hanyou finally spoke up hesitantly.

"I'm...sorry Miroku," Inuyasha muttered. He wasn't good with apologies. There was a few seconds more of silence before the monk responded.

_"No, it's all right Inuyasha. You're right, if Sango was here she would have smacked me hard with the Hiraikotsu,"_ Miroku laughed it off, but Inuyasha detected the tinge of sorrow to it. His own thoughts drifted to his beloved wife.

Kagome.

Inuyasha felt a sharp pang in his chest. His amber eyes stared unseeing into the trees. He shook his head suddenly to clear away his thoughts, but the pang remained.

The two of them continued to walk silently away from the house. Yahiko had gone into town with Megumi to buy supplies for Kaoru. Usually Kenshin did that, but off course, he was on sentry duty. Inuyasha reminded himself to pay Kaoru back for the expenses when they returned to the house. He could tell that she was short of money.

"Miroku," Inuyasha said. If the monk still had a body, he would have looked at the hanyou.

_"What?"_ Miroku asked. There was a pause.

"What do you think of Sessh...Kenshin?"

_"He's a good man."_ Inuyasha stopped to look down at the sword in his hand. Miroku continued. _"Of course, you knew that already. You're just having trouble admitting it to yourself."_

Miroku was right, he was. Inuyasha wanted to like Kenshin, wanted to trust him in fact. But his past relationship with Sesshoumaru seemed to be a shadow between them.

"I don't know what to think Miroku," the hanyou lord admitted. "He's not Sesshoumaru, but yet at the same time, he is." There was a pause as Miroku thought about that.

_"Kagome wasn't exactly Kikyo,"_ the monk reminded gently, knowing he was touching on a delicate subject. Inuyasha sighed.

"I know," he said softly. Silver bangs shrouded his eyes as he stared down at the ground. The wooden sword in his clawed hands trembled slightly.

_"Take it one day at a time Inuyasha,"_ the monk suggested. _"I know this isn't easy for you. At the very least, try hard for Yahiko's sake. Kenshin's a good man and the boy looks up to him."_

Yahiko.

Miroku caught the direction of his thoughts. He didn't need his spiritual gifts to know what his old friend was thinking.

_"Yahiko doesn't know he's our descendant, does he?"_ Miroku asked. Inuyasha shook his head. He hadn't quite gotten up the courage to tell the boy yet. Kenshin and the others knew, but had kept silent. Inuyasha knew why and respected them for it. It was his duty to tell Yahiko, not theirs.

_"Inuyasha,"_ Miroku said. _"Perhaps...perhaps we should speak with him once he returns with Megumi." _The hanyou gave a start before reluctantly agreeing. It had to be done and now might be one of the few peaceful moments they had for awhile.

What were they to do about Naraku?

_"One thing at a time Inuyasha,"_ Miroku said. Inuyasha glared at the sword. He was beginning to suspect that Miroku could read his mind when he held the sword. Even so, the hanyou nodded his head in reluctant agreement.

One thing at a time.

Inuyasha turned around as he and Miroku headed back to the house. Yahiko and Megumi should be back soon.


	15. Remembering the Past

**Chapter 15: Remembering the Past**

"So Kenshin just left you all without a word and went after Shishio?" Shippo asked Sano. The two of them were lounging up by the shrine. Sanosuke shoved a piece of straw in his mouth and chewed on it in agitation.

"That selfish bastard..." Sano growled, then admitted a moment later. "He did say goodbye to Kaoru."

"Still rankles, huh?"

"That dirty, son of a..."

"Easy Sano."

Sanosuke brooded for a moment. He was still angry with Kenshin for having gone to Kyoto without him. He spat out the straw and rummaged around for a new piece. Shippo rolled his eyes at him.

"What?" Sano asked.

"How can you chew on that?"

"Easy, watch." Sano stuck the new straw in his mouth and grinned at the kitsune. Shippo sighed and lamented the fact that gum wouldn't be invented for another century. He remembered all the bubble gum Kagome used to give him.

"Hey Shippo," Sano asked.

"Eh?"

"What exactly was the Great Youkai War? I've heard both you and Inuyasha mention it." Shippo sat up and stretched before answering.

"The Great Youkai War," Shippo began, "Happened about one hundred and fourteen years ago. A great army from the Chinese mainland invaded the Western provinces. They were led by a man by the name of Chen Ju. The threat of invasion was so great that youkai who had formerly been opposed to Inuyasha began coming to him for protection."

"Was Chen Ju a really powerful youkai?" Sano asked. Shippo gave a wry chuckle.

"Yes, he was powerful, but I don't know if you could have considered him a youkai. He wasn't a full blood." Sano gave a start at that.

"He was a hanyou? How could a hanyou have that great of a following?" Sano asked in surprise. Shippo shook his head at him.

"He wasn't a hanyou."

"Huh? But you said..."

"I said he wasn't a full blood, but he wasn't a hanyou. His father was a youkai and his mother, well, she was half youkai, half dragon. Chen had dragon blood in him."

Sanosuke gaped at the kitsune.

"Dragon blood? You mean they actually..."

"Exist?" Shippo finished for him. Sano closed his mouth and grumbled. Of course they did, if youkai actually existed, why not dragons? And Kaoru thought he believed in superstitious nonsense.

"How come I've never heard anything about this?" Sano suddenly asked as a thought occurred to him. "I mean, if hoards of youkai were killing each other, you'd think that it would be a big thing. How come no one ever mentions it? Even humans would have noticed THAT."

Shippo pursed his lips in memory of it.

"You right, it was huge. However, most of it took place way up north, almost at the tip of the islands." Shippo grimaced at the memory.

"Bad huh?"

"It was the only time that I ever wore armor into battle," Shippo admitted. Sano gave him a considering look at that, and gave a start when the kitsune continued.

"And also," Shippo added softly, "It's where Inutari was killed."

Sanosuke stared at him. Inutari...Inuyasha's son and Yahiko's ancestor. He opened his mouth to ask how and then closed it at the pained look on the fox's face. Shippo closed his eyes for a long moment as he remembered.

_"Ship, tell my father I'm sorry..."_

_Shippo felt his stomach knot up as he stared down at the dying man. Inutari, his friend, his brother in arms..._

_The kitsune bent down and ignored the fighting around him. Inutari forced open his amber eyes to look blurrily up at his older friend._

_"My wife," he said weakly, "My daughter..." he reached up a weak hand to Shippo. The kitsune grasped it firmly, and stared bleakly at Inutari. His black hair was matted heavily with blood where a heavy gash lay open on his forehead._

_His hand went limp in the kitsune's hand as his heart beat stopped. Shippo gently set it down as he slowly stood up. He lifted his green eyes as he searched for Inutari's killer. His sharp gaze settled on the man in the distance._

_Chen Ju._

_The kitsune unsheathed the Kadouki and headed straight for his enemy, eyes glowing red with rage._

Kenshin stopped as he stared at Shippo and Sanosuke. He'd come to fetch them for Kaoru, but now he wondered if he was interrupting something he shouldn't. He turned to start back down the stone steps.

"Kenshin!" Shippo yelled. He was glad for the distraction; it helped him block out painful memories. Kenshin halted as he turned to the kitsune.

"This one did not mean to interrupt, that he didn't."

"You're not interrupting Kenshin, what is it?" Shippo asked. Sano looked at him out of the corner of his eyes. It would seem that the youkai war was as painful for Shippo as the Meiji Revolution had been for he and Kenshin. He gave Kenshin an _'I'll tell you later'_ look and the swordsman nodded his head in understanding.

"Miss Kaoru wanted you two to help put away the supplies that Yahiko and Miss Megumi bought."

Shippo stood up to head down at the same time Sano gave a 'feh." The kitsune kicked him in the thigh.

"You bum!" Shippo yelled. "Kaoru lets you sleep and eat here for free! You can at least help with something as small as this!" Sano gave another feh. Shippo and Kenshin exchanged looks before they each grabbed one of Sanosuke's arms and hauled him up.

"What the hell...!" Sano started to yell. Shippo shut him up by pressing a leaf against his mouth. Sano yelled incoherently at him, but the leaf smothered most of the noise. The kitsune and the swordsman exchanged grins before they proceeded to tie a struggling Sano's arms and legs up and drag him down the steps.

Even though Sano couldn't speak, the expression on his face was quite clear.

_'I will kill both of you.'_

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kaoru, Kenshin, Megumi, Sanosuke, and Yahiko gaped. Then they blinked. Then they stared some more.

"Is that really gold?" Kaoru finally squealed in delight. A bead of sweat dripped down Inuyasha's face as Kaoru stared at his hand with large eyes.

"No, it's copper, what the hell does it look like? Of course it's gold!" he snapped. Everyone else gasped and the sound of a large 'Oro' reached his sensitive ears. The hanyou sighed to himself. He didn't haveany humancurrency, so he'd dug out a few gold nuggets instead to pay Kaoru back for all her expenses. Inuyasha hadn't been expecting this.

"Are you sure it's really gold?" Sano asked. "Maybe you'd better give it to me so I can check it" Megumi glared at him.

"Oh yes, and you'd know what gold looks like, wouldn't you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Rooster Head's just saying that 'cause he wants to keep it for himself," Yahiko muttered.

"What'd you say Runt?" Sano growled.

"You heard me Rooster Head!"

"Runt!"

"Rooster Head!"

Jaken sighed as he watched them argue. Such ingratitude for so generous an offer.

"I'm not little!" Yahiko yelled.

"Shut up Runt!"

Ignoring them all, Kenshin thanked Inuyasha for the money. Kaoru would have thanked him then too, but she and Megumi were too busy glaring at each other behind Kenshin's back. Deciding that Kenshin was probably the sanest of the group, Inuyasha handed the gold to him.

As Kenshin stared down at the gold, the other four ganged up on him.

"Oro!" He yelled as the others sidled up to him.

"Oh Kenshin..." Kaoru said.

"Sir Ken!"

"Kenshin!"

_"Oh dear,"_ Miroku murmured and Inuyasha smirked. Yahiko's bokken, was for the time being, still tucked in Inuyasha's sash. Namu and Sango watched the exchange in amusement. A rare smile tugged at the fox hanyou's lips. He knew that Kaoru's dojo was short of money, but the young fox hadn't realized just how much. Namu had come to enjoy their company. They were among the few humans that didn't care that he was a hanyou. He felt a great deal of gratitude for that.

Inuyasha watched for a few moments longer before clearing his throat. When that failed to get their attention, he resorted to his usual method.

"WOULD YOU ALL SHUT THE HELL UP? I NEED TO TALK TO YAHIKO!" Everyone stopped pestering Kenshin and gaped at the irate hanyou.

_"How wonderfully tactful you are,"_ Miroku murmured.

"Shut Miroku," Inuyasha muttered.

Yahiko stared at the hanyou.

"Why do you need to talk to me for?" he asked.

"I just do, now come on!" Inuyasha beckoned that Yahiko should follow him before he marched away from the group. Yahiko glared after him and pushed down the impulse to stick out his tongue. He gave a start when Kenshin gave him a gentle nudge in the hanyou's direction.

"You should go with Inuyasha, that you should," Kenshin said with an encouraging smile. Yahiko stared up at him and looked at the others, who were also looking at him. Yahiko looked over to where Inuyasha and Miroku had paused to wait for him. The hanyou had an unreadable expression on his face.

"Kenshin's right Yahiko," Kaoru said. "I think Inuyasha has something important he needs to tell you." Kenshin nodded his head in agreement. Sano reached out and pushed Yahiko toward the waiting hanyou. Yahiko glared at him, but turned around and walked to Inuyasha.

Yahiko trailed silently after the hanyou as they scaled the long stone steps up to the shrine. After they reached the top, the hanyou lord paused to consider the young boy at his side. The boy met his eyes boldly and Inuyasha smiled at that.

"What's going on?" Yahiko asked.

Inuyasha opened his mouth and closed it, wondering how to begin. He decided just to spit it out bluntly.

"Miroku and I are your ancestors Yahiko."

Yahiko's mouth fell open in astonishment.

"What? How do you..." the boy rambled. Miroku cut in quietly. Yahiko no longer needed to hold his bokken to be able to hear him, unlike the others.

_"Do you remember anything from when you were possessed by Naraku?"_ the monk asked. For once being speechless, Yahiko silently shook his head. He still couldn't remember anything.

"Yahiko," Inuyasha said. "When Shippo tested you with the Kadouki, it glowed blue for your spiritual powers, but it also glowed a faint violet when you were angry.

"So..."

_"So in otherwords,"_ Miroku continued for the hanyou, _"That was the first time that Inuyasha and Shippo suspected that you might have youkai blood._

"But that doesn't mean I'd be Inuyasha descendant, right?" Yahiko asked. Inuyasha gave a grunt.

"True," the hanyou admitted, "But when Naraku possessed you, you transformed slightly. You grew fangs and claws." Yahiko knew this already, he'd heard about it from Kenshin.

"But wasn't that because of Naraku?" he asked.

_"Some of it,"_ Miroku said, _"But most of it was because Naraku triggered the small part of you that is youkai. Naraku even said himself that there was dog youkai in your blood."_

Yahiko stared at Inuyasha in astonishment. Inuyasha stared back before placing a hesitant hand on the boy's shoulder.

"The spiritual powers you have come from Kagome, and probably Miroku," he said quietly. "And Miroku knows from his own gifts that you ARE our descendant."

"But how is Miroku my descendant?" Yahiko asked in disbelief. He could accept Inuyasha as his ancestor, but it was a little harder to believe that the lecherous monk was another ancestor.

_"As we found out later, Kagome was mine and Sango's descendent,"_ Miroku explained. _"So..."_

"So fortunately the lecherous part of Miroku's blood has been thinned out over the last several centuries," Inuyasha smirked wryly. The dead monk gave a disdainful sniff inside the bokken.

"That's probably a good thing," Yahiko said just as wryly.

"That's what I like to think," the hanyou agreed.

_"HEY!"_ Miroku yelled from inside the wooden sword. _"I resent that comment!"_ Yahiko glared at the bokken.

"You made me grope Megumi!" he shouted.

_"Yes, well..."_ Miroku started.

"And you tried to peep at Kaoru when she was taking a bath!"

_"Ah..such a wonderful sight!"_

"I can't believe you're my ancestor," Yahiko grumbled. He stopped and looked up at the hanyou. "Just how_are_ you my ancestor?" Inuyasha gave an intake of breath as an image of his dead son and granddaughter flashed through his mind. The hanyou sat down on a stone step before beginning.

"Let me tell you about my son, Inutari..."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

The others stared after Inuyasha, Miroku, and Yahiko.

"How do you think the kid'll take it?" Sano asked. Kaoru gave a sniff.

"I can't believe that...that monk is his ancestor too!"

"Poor boy," Megumi agreed. Jaken spoke up hesitantly in Miroku's defense.

"I know the monk may act...crudely at times, however," Jaken said, "He's also very powerful and wise for a human," he assented. "He's one of the first humans I came to respect." Both Kaoru and Megumi gave a snort at that.

Kenshin smiled to himself as he stared after them. Yes, Miroku's behavior did leave some, okay a lot, to be desired. However...

The swordsman could tell that there was a greater depth to the dead monk than he let on. Inuyasha obviously respected Miroku, and as Kenshin had learned, Inuyasha didn't just respect anyone.

Kenshin reached a hand out to lightly touch the Tenseiga, which was now hanging along side his reverse sword. He still found it hard to accept that he was the reincarnation of Inuyasha's dead half brother. Even though it answered some questions, it raised still others. How much of himself was really himself? The hanyou had yet to talk with him about any of it.

He stared after Inuyasha and wondered if he would find the answers he needed.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Naraku gazed out at noon sky as he ran his hands over the lionesses. Rashi and Shida, as he had discovered were their names, purred in delight at the attention. He scratched their ears as he stared thoughtfully into the distance. He'd already come to a decision concerning the dead priestess.

By nightfall, he would have her ashes in his possession.

Naraku smirked silently to himself as he anticipated the events to come.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_Author's Note: I am also bringing two favorite RK characters into the story within the next few chapters, so keep an eye out for them. And I also have a feeling that my story's ending up to be a bit of a saga, so I hope you don't mind that it'll end up having a lot of chapters before it's done._


	16. Sons of the Fathers

_Author's Note: I was on a roll, so I decided to post a second chapter this time._

**Chapter 16: Sons of the Fathers**

_The kitsune tried to fend off his wife's hands while glaring at his laughing friend at the same time. Unfortunately, all he managed to do was make the situation more undignified._

_"Shippo! Hold Still!" Souten yelled. Shippo meekly obeyed her, which caused his observer to laugh even harder._

_"Yes Ship, be a good little fox and hold still!" Inutari mocked. Shippo cast a glare at the quarter youkai, which was hardly effective since he was currently being berated by his wife._

_"I'm going to beat you," Shippo warned him. Souten gave a sharp tug at his collar._

_"No you're not," she said, "If he gets really annoying, I'll do it for you."_

_"Your wife certainly is vicious, isn't she?" Inutari asked with laughing eyes. Shippo nodded his head in agreement. Souten poked him in the ribs as she finished strapping on the armor. She stepped back and gave her husband a satisfied grin._

_"How does that feel?" she asked. Shippo moved his arms experimentally. Most of the armor covered his torso, but there was also light armor plating on his arms and legs. Totousai had designed it to be durable and light. It felt strange to be wearing the extra weight._

_"He looks like the Tin Man," Inutari cracked, referring to a movie he had seen as a child on the other side of the well._

_"I think he looks handsome," Souten said as she kissed Shippo's cheek. The kitsune winked at his friend as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and pulled her to him in a passionate kiss. Which of course, is slightly difficult if both parties are wearing armor._

_"Yuriko kisses better," Inutari piped up, referring to his human wife. Souten threw a stray piece of metal plating at him._

_"Don't you have anything better to do Inutari?" she asked._

_"Nope," he answered cheerfully. Shippo eyed his friend and realized that he was already dressed for battle. Inutari wore the same type of armor as his father over his green haori. His sword hung at his side and the quarter youkai already had his quiver of arrows strapped across his chest. His mother's bow rested across his lap._

_"Where's Yuriko and Takara?" Shippo asked. Inutari's daughter was only three years old._

_"Father and I decided to send them south to Edo. We figured they could take refuge at the Higurashi shrine." Shippo nodded his head. He and Souten had sent the twins and Namu south as well with Hachi and a few trusted friends. A sharp rap on the door drew their attention as Inutari's older sister walked in. She wore a matching set of Inutari's armor over her white haori and also had a sword hanging at her side. However, she didn't wear a quiver of arrows, lacking the skill with them that her brother possessed._

_"It's time," Amaya said. "Chen Ju is approaching the Kiba pass." Shippo and Inutari looked at each other for a moment before grasping each other's shoulders._

_"Good luck Tari," the kitsune said._

_"See you later Ship," the other man cracked back._

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"After the war, we couldn't find Takara's body anywhere," Inuyasha said quietly. Miroku and Yahiko had been listening silently to the hanyou as he talked about his son and the war. Inutari...

Inuyasha remembered his son painfully. His son had inheritated his mother's cheerful personality and always seemed to be able to light up any room he went into. Inutari always seemed to look on the positive side of things, just like Kagome had.

Yahiko sat silently as he thought about the young Takara.

"I remember my mother telling me once about her grandmother," the boy began hesitantly. "She said that my great-grandmother had lost her memory as a child. My mother had said she'd been an orphan."

Inuyasha looked up sharply at him.

"Your great grandmother?" he asked.

"Yeah," Yahiko said. "Mother always told me how youthful her grandmother looked for her age."

"What happened to her?" the hanyou asked. Yahiko paused before answering.

"She died before I was born, when the Meiji Revolution was first starting. She died in a fire."

Inuyasha looked crestfallen at this news. Yahiko looked down at his feet.

_"Well,"_ Miroku said gently, _"I suppose that answers that. I suppose this would make Inuyasha your great-great-great grandfather."_

Inuyasha and Yahiko stared at each other for a long time.

"Yeah," Yahiko said with a sudden lump in his throat, "I guess it does."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"You know Kenshin, in some bizarre way, this makes you Yahiko's distant uncle," Sano said. Kenshin looked up from scrubbing the deck. The swordsman hadn't considered that.

"This one supposes you may have a point, that he does," Kenshin admitted. He plunged the dirty, rough cloth back into the soapy water.

"Kenshin?"

Kenshin looked up to see Namu standing above him.

"Yes Namu?" he asked. The young hanyou hesitated before asking.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Kenshin smiled warmly at the young man.

"This one could use some help with this cleaning, that he could. There are some more of these over there" Kenshin replied as he held up his cloth and pointed. The young hanyou retrieved one and came back to help.

"Where's your dad and sister?" Sano asked.

"Megumi's showing them some medicinal herbs," he answered.

"What about Jaken?"

"Kaoru's telling him some stories."

"Stories?" Kenshin asked warily. Namu paused long enough to suddenly grin at the human.

"She's telling him stories about you and Sanosuke."

"Oh great," Sano groaned, "What's she telling him?" The hanyou shrugged his shoulders before answering.

"I don't know, but I heard them laughing. I also heard the word 'circus' and 'Cannon Girl'," he said. Sano and Kenshin's eyes widened in horror.

"She isn't..." Kenshin said.

"I'll bet she is..." Sano growled. Sanosuke ran into the house yelling at Kaoru. He ran back outside with a flare of fire chasing after him. Jaken stepped in the doorway and brandished his two-headed staff. Sanosuke shook his fist at the miniature youkai at a safe distance in the yard.

Kenshin chuckled softly as he ignored the arguing Jaken and Sanosuke. He looked at the young hanyou, who was intently scrubbing the deck.

"Namu?" Kenshin asked politely. A fox ear twitched as he looked up.

"Yes Kenshin?"

"Please forgive this one for prying, but why don't you and your father get along?" he asked cautiously. Namu slowly stopped scrubbing as he stared at his now soapy hands. As Kenshin waited for a reply, he looked up as Sanosuke stomped back to his seat. Namu paused as he was about to answer. Kenshin noticed this and realized why.

Sanosuke and Shippo had become good friends in the short time they had known each other. Namu was afraid that Sano would tell his father what he said. Kenshin waved Sano away. Sanosuke raised an eyebrow. The red head mouthed the words _'I'll tell you later.'_ and turned his eyes to Namu. Sano stood up then.

"I think I'll go see what that drug pushing wench and that damn fox are doing," Sano announced, referring to Megumi and Shippo. He strolled off in their direction, whistling softly to himself. Kenshin turned back to Namu.

Namu watched the retreating Sanosuke for a moment before answering.

"My father abandoned me," he said quietly. Kenshin set down his cloth.

"Is that so?" he asked kindly. "And how is that?" Namu stared down at his hands again and blinked back tears.

"He left my mother before I was born. I think she loved him until the day she died." Namu looked up at Kenshin. "She died when I was thirty-eight. I know that seems old to you, but I was only about seven or eight in human years." Kenshin listened quietly to him as the hanyou continued. "I went searching for my father after that and found him three years later. He hadn't even known I existed," he finished bitterly.

Kenshin pulled the cloth out of Namu's hands and led him to the wooden steps. They sat for a time before he finally spoke up.

"This one doesn't know your father very well," Kenshin admitted, "But from what this one has seen, he doesn't believe that your father would willingly abandon you, that he doesn't." Namu sighed at that. "Sometimes," Kenshin continued, "Some people aren't meant to be together. Perhaps your father realized he didn't love your mother the way she loved him. It may have been more hurtful to her if he had stayed and pretended a love he didn't feel, that it would."

Namu swallowed a lump that was rising in his throat. Kenshin asked him gently then about his mother.

"Her name was Kaoru," he answered softly. Kenshin blinked in surprise.

"Kaoru?"

"Yeah."

Kenshin smiled warmly at him.

"That is a strong name, that it is."

"Are you saying that because you love Kaoru?" Namu asked. Kenshin reddened suddenly.

"Oro?"

"Well don't you?" Namu asked. Kenshin's face reddened a few more shades.

"Ah...this one thinks very highly of Miss Kaoru, that he does," Kenshin said instead. He quickly changed the subject.

"Is that the only reason you are...unhappy with your father?" he asked. Namu blinked, realizing full well that the other man was trying to change the subject.

"No," Namu admitted. Kenshin waited patiently for him to continue. They heard a crash, followed by the sounds of an arguing Sano and Megumi, with a laughing Shippo in the background.

"My father..." Namu said, "I thinks he's ashamed of me."

"Because you are a hanyou?" Kenshin asked, knowing that it wasn't true.

"No, because...because I'm a bastard child."

"This one does not believe this to be true," Kenshin said. Namu looked at him questionally.

"Why not? He ignores me! I've spent more time with Inuyasha than with Him! Inuyasha's been more of a father to me than he ever has!"

"Could it be," Kenshin said gently, "That he feels guilt for not having been there for you?" Namu gave a snort.

"If that's true, then why does he ignore me?"

"Well, this one can not say for certain, but perhaps your father feels that having a hanyou for a father figure is more beneficial for you. After all, being a hanyou can not be easy, that it can't. Perhaps he believes that it's better for you to be with Inuyasha."

Namu stuck out his lip stubbornly.

"That doesn't mean he has to ignore me!"

"Do you ignore him?" Kenshin asked.

"What?" Namu asked in surprise.

"Your father, do you avoid him as well?" Namu stared at him.

"Sometimes...but only because I..." he trailed off. "Because...I feel like he's disappointed in me."

"You are disappointed with your father, is that correct?" Kenshin asked.

"Well, yeah..."

"Perhaps Shippo avoids you because he knows you're disappointed in him."

Namu's eyes widened for a moment, then turned his head away from Kenshin. Kenshin felt saddened by the pain between father and son. He realized that there wasn't much he could do. Father and son would have to do the healing themselves.

Kenshin placed a supportive hand on Namu's shoulder as he stood up. He left it there for a few moments before returning to his cleaning. The young hanyou sat still for minute longer before he too returned to scrubbing.

"Thank you Kenshin," he said. Kenshin gave him a smile before attacking the dirty wood with his cloth.

"You are not alone Namu, that you aren't."

"I know," he answered.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Amaya reread the note from her father before handing it to her husband. Akio growled as he handed it to his father.

"So," Kouga growled, "Naraku lives again. And Kagura...Damn that witch!" The wolf fumed at the note in his hand. Of all the...

"Oh dear, oh dear..." Myouga moaned. The flea youkai jumped up and down in dismay.

"Feh," Kouga growled, "I guess we'll just have to kill them again!" Amaya layed a hand on her father-in-law's shoulder to calm him. She cast an amber eye to where her daughter lay sleeping in the corner. Kirara was curled protectively around young Izayoi.

"I wonder..." Akio froze in the middle of his sentence. Everyone sniffed the air and turned their heads to the right and stared down the Great Hall.

"You smell that?" Akio growled. A transformed Kirara was on her feet, growling dangerously. Her ears flattened against her head as her fur stood on edge. Amaya raced down the hall, followed by the two men.

"Kirara!" She yelled. "Look after Izayoi!" The youkai cat placed herself in front of the sleeping child. The others raced down the corridor and paused briefly.

"Where..." Kouga yelled. A poisoned shuriken flew out of no where and barely missed him. The wolf swore. Akio sniffed the air before making a turn down another hallway. Realization hit Amaya.

"They're in the shrine!" she yelled. She raced toward the family shrine with the men at her heels. She heard a scraping sound as a foul stench reached her nose.

"Gunpowder!" Akio yelled. Kouga shoved his daughter-in-law out of the way just before the wall in front of them exploded. Amaya coughed as she jumped back up and ran inside. It was empty. She tried to smell the air, but the scent of gunpowder had temporarily blocked all traces of the intruders.

"Damn!" Akio yelled. He kicked at the remaining portion of the wall. Kouga shared his son's frustration. Whoever had been here was gone now. A horrified cry from Amaya drew their attention to the dark haired woman.

"My mother's ashes!" She cried. "They took my mother's ashes!" Kouga and Akio stared at the empty space in the front of the shrine. Amaya was right.

Kagome's ashes were missing.


	17. A Spider's Eggs

_Author's Note: There was some question on how Miroku was related to Yahiko. Back in chapter 5 I had Inuyasha and Co. realize that Kagome was a descendant of Sango and Miroku. I thought it would be an interesting idea. So Yahiko is related to those two through Kagome._

**Chapter 17: A Spider's Eggs**

Shadows of craggy rock and pine trees played an eerie silhouette under the sliver of the silver moon. Cicadas churped their nightly song as a lone owl announced its presence. The baying of wolves shattered the nightly perfection.

Kouga howled in fury as he looked out over the landscape. Hours of searching...wasted. There was not a scent to be found. The only scents of the intruders lay in the shrine, and even that barely distinguishable beneath the stink of gunpowder. It was if they had just appeared out of thin air. He kicked angrily at a nearby boulder and sent shards of rock flying in every direction.

His whole body shook with a barely contained rage as he looked behind him. A silent Amaya was staring at the silver moon. He watched as his son jumped up to her and silently slipped his arms around her waist. She leaned her head back into his chest, willing herself not to cry.

_I failed you Mother_, she thought. _I'm sorry Father._ A tear slipped down her face and she hastily brushed it aside. Now was no time for crying. She had to get a message to her father.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_"The number of eggs that a spider lays at one time varies with the size of the animal. A female of average size lays about one hundred eggs. Some of the largest spiders lay more than two thousand eggs."_

_**A Naturalist's Guide to the Animal World**_, _by Dr. Steven Maraine, Ship's Surgeon and Naturalist of the HMS Amelia._

Naraku studied the illustration on the page with interest. How fascinating. He'd been pleasantly surprised to find that Kagura had collected an extensive library within her castle. Many of the books were of British or American origin, but no matter. Raizel had been able to read English and since he had absorbed her, he now had that ability as well.

_"In most species, the mother spider encloses the eggs in a silken egg sac. It has been observed that the sac of each species differs in size and shape."_

Yes, fascinating. Naraku was taking every advantage of this era's knowledge. He'd had no idea just how wide and varied the world was. Fascinating. He turned a page and studied the image of a black widow spider eating her mate.

"Lord Naraku?"

Naraku looked up from the book to study the snake youkai.

"Gojin, report."

"My Lord, we have the priestess's ashes as you requested."

Excellent.

"Have the sorceress brought to me at once," Naraku said sharply. Gojin bowed as he replied.

"She is waiting outside your chamber, Lord Naraku." Good, very good. Kagura's servants were far more competent than he had expected.

"Send her in," he commanded. Gojin bowed again before leaving. Naraku carefully marked his place in the book and snapped it shut. He flexed his right hand and stared approvingly at himself in a nearby mirror.

He'd since had the opportunity to absorb more youkai. Naraku was as of yet no where near his former power, but it was only a matter of time. At least he had a male body now. He heard the great oak doors close as the dark sorceress stepped in. Naraku studied her with slight disgust. She was really nothing more than a dirty hag. However, whatever her appearance, he needed the creature's skills.

"Lord Naraku," she rasped. The ancient hag bent slowly on her knees and prostrated herself before him. She had trained under the same master as Urasue, the ogress who had raised Kikyo from the dead. Naraku grimaced silently in distaste as he watched a cockroach climb out from underneath her pale kimino and scurry over her yellowed toenails.

Naraku briefly brought to mind the theory from a controversial human book.

_"The theory of natural selection is the theory that only the strongest and most fit of any species survives to pass on its traits to its offspring."_

Naraku rather liked that theory.

"Binh," he addressed the hag with distaste. "I want you to first recreate Kagome's body, then report to me when you've finished. You are not to resurrect her without my presence, understood" he asked sharply. Binh nodded her grey head.

"Then be gone with you woman," he commanded. She bowed her head before rising and shuffling out of the large room. Naraku stared after her for a moment before returning to his book.

_'Survival of the Fittest'_ indeed.

Youkai had understood that concept long before Charles Darwin had written his infamous book. Naraku chuckled darkly as he continued to read.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Ghosts!"

"Don't be stupid Sanosuke."

"I'm telling you it's ghosts!"

"What's he yapping about?" Inuyasha asked.

"He thinks trains are powered by ghosts," Kaoru answered. Kenshin grimaced to himself. He didn't really want to listen to this argument YET again.

"Well what else runs them?" Sano asked stubbornly.

"I told you, locamotives are powered by steam!"

"How can steam move a six ton hunk of metal?"

"I'm telling you it can!" Kaoru yelled.

"No it can't!"

"YES IT CAN!"

"NO IT CAN'T!"

Yahiko rolled his eyes at them. Kaoru and Sanosuke continued to yell in each other's face for another minute until they finally took a break to catch their breath.

_"What's a train?"_ Miroku asked. He'd since learned to use his spiritual gifts to be heard by everyone else, much to his relief. Megumi took the brief lull in Kaoru and Sano's argument to explain the concept of trains to the dead monk. Kenshin felt himself jump as the obstinate pair took up their quarrel yet again.

"Steam can't power a train!" Sanosuke yelled.

"Eeeeiiii!" Kaoru screamed in frustration. She reached out to the tall man and tried to throttle him. Kenshin reluctantly stood up and tried to seperate the two. Inuyasha popped another rice ball in his mouth as he called out.

"What'd you do that for? It was getting interesting!" he yelled.

Kaoru gave a huff before throwing another jibe at the irate Sanosuke.

"And another thing idiot, cameras DO NOT STEAL YOUR SOUL!"

"THEY DO TOO!"

"YOU HAD YOUR PICTURE TAKEN AND YOU STILL HAVE YOUR SOUL, DON'T YOU?"

"WELL YEAH..."

"THEN THEY DON'T STEAL YOUR SOUL!"

"YES THEY DO! WE WERE LUCKY!"

Kenshin smacked his head down against the table as Shippo, Miroku and Inuyasha began to laugh hysterically. Kagome had taken their pictures plenty of times with the cameras of her era.

"You're an idiot Bird Head," Shippo laughed.

"Shut up!"

_"Cameras don't steal your soul,"_ Miroku said.

"How would you know?" Sano asked. "You died almost three centuries ago!"

_"Kagome used the cameras from her era. They're quite common place I was told,"_ the dead monk answered. Sanosuke gave a long pause. Inuyasha mentally pictured Sanosuke in the Tokyo of Kagome's era. The poor guy would probably go ballistic if he saw an automobile or an airplane.

"Technology is the work of...of...!" Sano started to yell stubbornly.

"Youkai?" Jaken asked in amusement.

"Ghosts!" Shippo piped up.

"Evil Spirits!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Okay, now you're making fun of me," Sanosuke grumbled.

"Damn right we are," Inuyasha said. Again, he pictured a screaming Sanosuke standing in a subway station. The hanyou snickered evilly at the image.

"Shut up!" Sanosuke growled. Megumi waved her finger at him.

"You brought this on yourself," she said. Sanosuke glared at her. Kenshin sighed as he cleared away the dishes. Breakfast had been quick, as Inuyasha wanted to search for Raizel and Naraku. Unfortunately, no one had any idea of where to begin. As it happened, fate was on their side.

Inuyasha and Shippo abruptly stopped laughing as they and Kenshin stared outside.

"What is it?" Yahiko asked.

A small two tailed cat came bounding into the house. As Kaoru started to open her mouth, a male voice yelled out of no where.

"LORD INUYASHA!"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he stared at the cat. Kirara came over and stood in front of the hanyou. He reached out a clawed hand and ruffled through her fur until he found the source of the voice.

"What..." Sano started to ask.

"What happened Myouga?" Inuyasha growled.

"Who are you talking to?" Yahiko asked.

"Oh Lord Inuyasha, something terrible has happened!" The flea youkai wailed. The humans leaned closer and blinked at the miniature youkai jumping up and down in the hanyou's hand.

"Oro?" Kenshin asked in bewilderment. Inuyasha ignored him as he stared intently down at the flea.

"What happened Myouga?" Shippo asked quietly.

"There was an attack at your home, Milord! The Lady Kagome's ashes were stolen!"

There was a collective gasp from the group at the news. Inuyasha's hand gave a slight tremble as his eyebrows knitted together in outrage.

"WHAT?" he yelled in dismay. He growled dangerously as he bared his fangs. There could only be one being behind this.

Naraku.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

A pleased Naraku examined Binh's handiwork. The clay body of a youthful Kagome stared blankly up at him. The dirty old hag had even taken the time to cloth the yet unanimated body in a priestess's red hakama and white wrap.

"Lord Naraku?" Binh asked hesitantly. Naraku cast a violet eye at her. The ancient hag lowered her head humbly as she addressed him. "My Lord...how do you plan on controlling the priestess? Kikyo rebelled the moment she was brought back into being and killed Urasue."

Naraku gave an unpleasant smirk, but didn't reprimand her. It wasn't an unreasonable question. He'd thought long and hard about it as well.

"Did you know that some spiders attach their sac of eggs to a leaf or plant?"

A clearly confused Binh looked at him questionally.

"My Lord?" The puzzled sorceress asked.

"Nothing," Naraku answered. "Just a thought." He reached into his haori and pulled out a sticky ball. Binh had no idea what was lying in the basement of his castle. The hag did not know his secret to controlling the Hand.

He lifted the garments away from the clay body's chest to expose the skin. Then Naraku pulled a fragment away from the sticky mass in his hand and placed it just under the collar bone. The fragment wriggled slightly before sinking down into the clay flesh. A faint image of a spider blossomed on the cold skin.

Naraku smiled.

"Gojin," he said outloud. The snake youkai came forward.

"Yes, my Lord."

"There is someone I want you to find, a human. You are to bring him to me."

"A human?" Gojin asked in surprise.

"Yes," Naraku answered with a malicious smile. "His name is Shinomori Aoshi."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_Author's note: The quotes I used on the spiders are directly from the World Book Encyclopedia. I just thought I'd mention that since it's a little thing called Plagiarism. And also, the book Naraku is reading isn't actually a real book, I made it up._


	18. Resurrection and Deception

**Chapter 18: Resurrection and Deception**

Sunlight filtered through the windows of the tiny shrine. Song birds chirped sweetly among the trees just outside. A man meditated oblivious to it all before the statue of Buddha. He centered his thoughts and sought a peaceful harmony within his soul.

It was still hard to find.

A brief image of the dead members of the Obiwaban flashed through Shinomori Aoshi's mind, breaking his hard won concentration. Aoshi shook it off and attempted to empty his mind again. He failed. With a sigh, he stood up, knowing that he wouldn't be able to achieve nirvana just yet.

Aoshi looked up at the morning sun and realized that he'd been in the shrine for nearly three hours.

"Aoshi!"

The tall man looked blankly over at the young woman running his way. Misao. Aoshi often had to remind himself that she was no longer a child. Her cheerful face lightened up even more when he looked over at her.

"Misao?" he asked with little emotion. The young woman planted herself in front of the dispassionate man and placed her hands on her hips.

"Okina says I have to go shopping," she scowled. "He thinks you should go with me, says it'd do you good to get out."

Aoshi eyed her suspiciously, wondering if this was perhaps a scheme of hers and not Okina's. Usually the old man never passed up an opportunity to go into town and look at the young women.

"Shopping?" he asked flatly, indicating that hell would have to freeze over before he went shopping. Misao's grin only widened.

"Shopping," she confirmed. Aoshi mentally sighed, knowing that she, Okina, and the others meant well. He considered just brushing her off and thought better of it. Misao's voice usually tended to help keep his demons away. Why that was so, he hadn't figured out yet.

"Very well," he assented. Misao gaped. Clearly she hadn't expected him to agree so soon, or even at all. She smiled brightly and began marching back to the Aoi-ya. She wasn't going to give him a chance to change his mind. The tall man silently trailed behind her.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Gojin sniffed himself with disgust. He'd shed his snake skin to don a human one. He'd taken the skin from a human merchant he'd found on the way to Kyoto. He grimaced again.

Filthy humans.

The snake youkai didn't understand why Naraku was interested in this Shinomori Aoshi. He knew that the human was supposed to be dangerous...for a human. But still...

But still, the orders of Naraku were not to be questioned.

Gojin gave himself one more disgainful sniff before looking to see if the others were ready. His little party stood at attention. Good.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Is this all Old Man?" Misao asked sarcastically. She stared in dismay at the large list that Okina had just handed to her. A blank faced Aoshi mentally shook his head. Apparently this little scheme was in fact Okina's idea after all.

"Don't complain Misao," Okina said. "I'd like nothing more than to go. So many pretty girls in Kyoto..." The young woman punched him in the head before he could finish. Aoshi gave another mental sigh, before deciding that Okina probably had deserved it.

"Grrr..." Misao started to yell. She halted when Aoshi suddenly swung his head to the left and stared hard into the distance.

"Whaa.." she started to ask. Misao blinked as the drum of hoof beats and human screams reached her ears. Aoshi gripped the handle of his short sword. The young woman fingered a shuriken. She gave a start as a horse carriage came rushing around a corner.

Misao gasped.

On the roof of the carriage was a creature she'd never seen before. It was hideously misshaped, with pale albino skin and three horns sprouting from its forehead.

"What the hell..." Okina gasped. The creature punched through the top of the carriage. Another ugly creature suddenly assaulted the screaming horses. Without a second thought, Aoshi drew his twin blades and attacked.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kaoru hastily threw some items into her bag. Inuyasha wanted to leave within the next ten minutes. He would have left already if it wasn't for them.

"WOULD YOU ALL HURRY THE HELL UP BEFORE I GET OLD?" Inuyasha barked loudly. Kaoru shoved down the impulse to yell back at him. As far as she was concerned, he was perfectly in his rights to be angry. Even so...

"WE'RE HURRYING AS FAST AS WE CAN!" she yelled back at him. Inuyasha growled to himself up on the roof. The kitsune at his side tried to calm him.

"They are hurrying Inuyasha," Shippo calmly reminded him. The hanyou gave a frustrated sigh. Of course they were.

Megumi watched everyone with a sigh of her own. She was being left behind yet again. The doctor knew she had a duty to her patients and to keep an eye on the dojo, but still...

She sighed again.

Sanosuke stuck the fish bone thoughtfully in his mouth as he watched the others. He and Kenshin were already standing in the yard, ready to go. Namu, Sango, and Jaken were sitting on the wooden steps. Kirara was curled up in Namu's lap, with Myouga hiding somewhere in her fur. A moment later, Kaoru and Yahiko came rushing out. Miroku was tucked safely in Yahiko's sash.

Inuyasha and Shippo jumped down to the others. The hanyou cast Megumi a quick glance.

"Aren't you bringing anything?" he asked gruffly. Megumi gave a start before answering.

"I can't," she answered. "I have a duty to my patients here and someone needs to watch the dojo while you all are gone." Inuyasha felt a touch of respect for the woman, but he could tell from her scent that she'd rather be going with them.

The hanyou turned around and walked a few steps before pausing.

"Where we're going, we may need a good doctor," he admitted gruffly. "You have a duty to your friends too." Megumi's eyes widened and then gaped at his next sentence.

"Besides," Inuyasha continued, "If you're half as good as Rooster Head here says you are..." He was cut off by a suddenly red faced Sanosuke.

"I didn't say she was..." he stammered. Megumi winked slyly before slinking up the tall man.

"So you think I'm a good doctor Sanosuke?" the Fox Lady asked craftily. Sanosuke recovered enough to yell back.

"Good doctor my ass, you drug pushing wench!" Sano yelled. Kenshin smiled to himself as Sanosuke continued to deny having given any compliment about the doctor. Inuyasha interrupted the argument with a loud growl.

"Are you coming or not Woman?" he asked.

"Tae and Doctor Genzai can keep an eye on the dojo," Kaoru told her. Megumi nodded her head then and began to run back to the clinic to get some supplies. Inuyasha gave an irritated sigh at this delay. He looked over at the other hanyou in the group.

"Namu, take her to where ever she's going. It'll be faster," he said. Namu nodded quickly before racing after the doctor. He scooped her up in his arms and raced into the town.

Inuyasha crossed his arms and tapped his fingers in agitation. He wanted to go NOW, but still, a doctor might be useful. He looked up the bright sun.

Kagome...

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Binh chanted loudly as she sprinkled the strange concoction of herbs around the clay body of Kagome. Naraku drummed his fingers against each other as he waited impatiently. Gojin had left nearly two hours ago. He hoped that the snake would precisely follow his instructions. Naraku knew from Yahiko's memories that Shinomori Aoshi was not a man to be trifled with, human or not.

Naraku allowed himself a brief smile.

Aoshi...he'd planned to seek him out after learning of him through the boy's memories. A man who was nearly Himura Kenshin's equal, a man who had previously attempted to kill Sesshoumaru's reincarnation. A man with a tragic past.

A man who, as he had recently come to discover, was the descendant of a youkai slayer. As Kohaku had once served him, so would the child of his children's descendants.

Naraku paused in his thoughts as he realized the ancient crone had stopped her chanting. She was now standing over the body with a air of anticipation. He stepped forward in contained eagerness.

"Is it time Woman?" he asked sharply. She waved him off and he felt a flash of irritation. Binh seemed frozen for a moment before a flash of bright light surrounded her and the clay body.

"ARISE AND BE RESURRECTED HIGURASHI KAGOME!" She screeched loudly. As the light dimmed, Naraku heard a gasp of life within the now animated body. The priestess sat up with a jerk and stared around her with widened eyes. Naraku stepped forward to greet her.

"Welcome, Kagome. I'm sure you remember me," he said smoothly. Kagome gazed around her with shock before throwing a hand out in front of her, intending to blast him with spiritual energy. She stared silently at her hand before yelling at the smiling Naraku.

"WHAT...WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?"

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Aoshi spun around with his twin Kodachis as he fended off an attack. Another creature had joined the other two. While he distracted the strange creatures, Misao and Okina rescued the injured survivors within the carriage.

He parried the smallest one's attack and stabbed it through the eye. Even though he never showed it, Aoshi felt a twinge of shocked horror. Never before in his life had he ever encountered anything such as these.

Had he been a lesser fighter, he'd surely have already lost the battle. Fortunately for him, he was Shinomori Aoshi, former Okashira of the Obiwaban.

He performed his Spiral Sword Dance.

Aoshi was already wiping the blood from his blades as the dead youkai bodies fell to the ground. Misao gave a sigh of relief as she helped a young girl sit up.

"Are you all right?" she asked in concern. The child, who looked to be about six or seven, smiled brightly up at her.

"Uh huh!" she replied. Then the girl looked over at her caretaker, the only other human to survive. "Right Mr. Gojin?" she asked. Playing his part, Gojin smiled in relief at the child.

"Of course Miss Kaia," he answered. Gojin cast a glance at Aoshi. _So the human can fight after all, Naraku was right not to directly confront_ _him._ The snake youkai bowed to the icy calm human.

"I believe we are in your debt, Mr., ah..." he said. Aoshi cast him a cold, inquiring look.

"Shinomori Aoshi," he answered him.

"Ah, Mr. Shinomori," Gojin replied. "I am Harata Gojin and this is my ward, Onigumo Kaia." The small girl bowed to her rescuers before casting a sparkling smile to the emotionless Aoshi.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "You're really really really strong Mr. Aoshi!"

Misao saw something flicker in Aoshi's eyes. Was that amusement? No, she decided, it must just be a trick of the light.

"What happened?" Okina asked quietly. "Are there more of those...creatures?" Gojin shrugged his shoulders and feigned fatigue.

"I'm not sure," the disguised youkai admitted, "Frankly, I'm afraid they took us by surprise." The little girl sniffled at his side and Gojin placed a hand on her head. "There there, Miss Kaia, it's all over now."

"It was very scary!" she sniffled. Okina rubbed his beard for a moment before inviting them inside the Aoi-ya. He insisted that they come in for some rest.

"And," Okina continued, "Perhaps you can tell us exactly what happened." Gojin bowed his head.

"That would be very kind, thank you," the youkai answered humbly. Okina nodded his head as he headed back to the house, followed by Gojin.

"I'll have some of my friends see to your horses," he said.

Misao held out a hand to the little girl. The child smiled brightly as she grabbed her hand. Aoshi gave a start as the girl also slipped a small hand into his. The girl smiled sweetly up at him and Aoshi didn't have the heart to rip his hand away. He let the child lead him and Misao after Okina and Gojin.

Aoshi had no idea what he was about to get into.


	19. Baiting Aoshi

**Chapter 19: Baiting Aoshi**

Misao stared wide eyed at Harata Gojin. The older man calmly took a sip of tea while young Kaia chomped eagerly on a small rice cake.

"Y...youkai?" she sputtered in disbelief. Even Okina's eyes had widened slightly. Aoshi, of course, refused to show any reaction to this revelation. Misao had heard stories about youkai since she was little, but had never believed any of them. Youkai were just bedtime monsters to threaten disobedient children with.

"Why would youkai attack you?" Aoshi asked. Gojin looked up from his tea. The human didn't miss a beat. The youkai set down his cup.

"My lord has had run ins with youkai in the past. Perhaps they sought to seek their revenge by killing his daughter and vassal." Aoshi's eyes narrowed.

"The Meiji era no longer allows a feudal system," he said coolly. "How can you say that you are a vassal?" Gojin studied him for a moment. _The human can sense falsehoods_, he thought, _I'd best speak the truth when possible._

"My lord...is, how shall we say, not entirely thrilled with the new government. He believes it to be nothing more than an organization of corrupted officials. He'd rather see a return to shogun rule."

"Even the shoguns were not fair to the common people," Okina reminded him. "Under the Meiji system, everyone is equal." Gojin gave a light chuckle. He despised the idea that everyone was equal. The youkai was of the opinion that the weak must be ruled by the strong.

"True, but my lord does not wish for a complete return to the way it was." he admitted. "He believes the shoguns should have a loose confederation of sorts, and that the common people should be allowed to live under the shogun of their choosing."

Okina poured some more tea before studying the disguised youkai with hidden suspicion.

"You say that your...lord has had run ins in the past with youkai," the old man said. "Do you care to explain?" Gojin smiled inwardly. These humans were sharper than the average pack of vermin.

"My lord's contacts have informed him that several high ranking Meiji officials are really youkai in human form. We do not know the extent of their operation, but we do know they report to a dog youkai named Inuyasha. His domain is known as the Western Lands."

They sat quietly for a time as a bored Kaia fidgeted at Misao's side. Misao looked down at the young girl and smiled.

"What's your father's name Miss Kaia?" she asked. The little girl looked up at her with large green eyes before smiling brightly.

"His name is Daddy," she replied. Okina smiled warmly down at the young girl.

"Yes little one, but what is his name?" the old man asked.

"His name is Onigumo Naraku," Gojin answered. "His land is just outside Kurashiki." Aoshi gave him a sharp look.

"That name is unfamiliar with me," Aoshi replied.

"His is a minor lord," Gojin explained. "And holds no official power in the Meiji government."

"Official?" Okina asked. Again, the hidden youkai chuckled.

"Lord Onigumo holds no official power, however, he does hold many unseen contacts within the government."

"Is that why the youkai attacked you?" Misao asked. "Because they're afraid your lord will expose them?"

"Yes," Gojin answered. Okina rubbed his beard thoughtfully before replying.

"Hmm, it would appear that the Meiji government is more corrupted than we had originally believed," he said. The young girl made a face at Misao's side and gave a 'bleh."

"Miss Kaia?" Misao asked. The little girl made another face as she looked up at the young woman.

"Daddy doesn't like the Me..mei..meig...the Mean govahnment! He says it's bad! Bleh!" She stuck out her tongue to illustrate her point. Okina chuckled lightly and looked up in surprise when Aoshi handed the young girl another rice cake.

"Your father is an intelligent man Little One," Aoshi said dispassionately. The little girl smiled brightly up at him as she accepted the little cake.

"Uh huh!" she said happily. Okina considered Aoshi for a moment. He seemed strangely at ease around the girl. Usually Aoshi was uncomfortable around children. It was something to think about.

"Mr. Harata," Okina said as he turned to the other man. The disguised youkai looked up from his tea. "Why don't you and Miss Kaia stay the night here? Then tomorrow morning perhaps I can send some of our people to accompany you to Kurashiki. These youkai may very well attack you again."

Gojin bowed politely before taking another sip of tea.

"Yes," the snake youkai said. "Your help would be greatly appreciated indeed."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"HAHAHAHAHAAA!" Tears were running down Sanosuke's face. The kitsune growled back at him.

"I'm going to kill you Bird Head," Shippo warned.

"Hah! I'd like to see you do that in this form!" Sano yelled.

"I'LL DUMP YOU OFF RIGHT HERE YOU BAKA HUMAN!"

"Feh, I'd like to see you...hey! Okay! I'll shut up!"

Kenshin and the others held in a snicker as Sanosuke sat back down in a huff. In order to get to Inuyasha's land as quickly as possible, Shippo had transformed into a long, pink balloon like shape. Inuyasha and Jaken had jumped on without a word, and the hanyou had barked at the others when they hesitated. Now they were flying somewhere over the mountains. Namu and Sango were both riding on a flying Kirara's back.

Sanosuke had been making fun of Shippo's transformation since he first hopped on.

_"You know Shippo,"_ Miroku said quietly, _"You didn't have to use the same form as Hachi. You could have..."_

"Transformed into a dragon!" Yahiko exclaimed. "That would have been great!"

_"Yes, or even a giant bird would have been more creative,"_ Miroku added. Shippo growled warningly at them.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP ALL OF YOU OR I'LL DUMP YOU OFF RIGHT HERE!"

"Miroku's right Dad," Sango called over from Kirara, "Why couldn't you transform into something less stupid?" Shippo grumbled incoherently at that.

"Hah! What, no witty comeback fox?" Sano yelled.

"I'm going to kill you Sanosuke!"

_"This is really your own fault,"_ the dead monk remarked from Yahiko's sash.

"Shut up Miroku!" the kitsune yelled.

Inuyasha growled to himself as he looked impatiently into the west. He tapped his fingers against his crossed arms as he glared into the distance.

Kagome...

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

A horrified Kagome stared at Naraku.

"What'd you do to me?" she cried. She stared at her hands. They were cold... Realization hit her with a start.

She had a clay body.

Angry, she shoved her hands in front of her and prepared to blast spiritual energy at the smirking Naraku. His image was different than before, but the voice and the demonic aura were exactly the same.

"No," Naraku said. Kagome's hands trembled. Why wouldn't they obey her? Fine, if she couldn't use her spiritual gifts, then she'd use other methods. She swung her fist toward him in a punch, but again, her trembling hand paused before making contact. What was going on?

Naraku smiled darkly as he studied the confused priestess.

"Kagome," he said. "You can not harm me. You will do as I say."

"NO!" she protested. Naraku chuckled again before narrowing his eyes at her.

"You have no choice priestess. The demonseed has been placed inside you. You belong to me."

Kagome fought down panic as she ran through her dwindling options. What was a demonseed? What had he done to her? What could she do?

_Inuyasha!_ she cried silently. Kagome didn't know how she would get out of this, but she refused to give up. Not to Naraku.

_Inuyasha! I need you!_

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Okina and Aoshi sat quietly up on the roof. The other Obiwaban were below with Kaia and Gojin. The female Obiwaban were currently playing with the little girl.

"Will you go?" Okina finally asked Aoshi. The silent man stared up at the darkening sky. His fingers unconsciously fingered the hilt of his Kodachi.

"I don't trust him, no matter what he says," Aoshi admitted.

"Yes, neither do I. His words sound plausible, but my heart is telling me to beware," the old man said. "Even so, will you go?" Aoshi pursed his lips in thought.

"If he speaks the truth, then he and the girl will need protection."

"Ah yes, the girl," Okina chuckled softly. Aoshi gave him a sharp look.

"What?" he asked flatly.

"Nothing," Okina chuckled again. "It just seems to this old man that you've grown a bit fond of that little girl."

Aoshi said nothing. She was just a slip of a girl. Even if he distrusted Harata Gojin, the young child was just that. A child.

"Even if Gojin is lying, the child is still in danger," he admitted, but said nothing further. Okina smiled inwardly. Aoshi must finally be healing, he thought, if he cares for the welfare of a child.

"Misao will follow you," Okina pointed out. Aoshi gave no reaction, he knew full well what she would do.

"Nothing I could say would keep her away," Aoshi said.

"Yes, that is very true. But still, will you go with them to Kurashiki?" Aoshi looked at him impassively before looking away.

"Yes," he answered. "There is something he is not telling us. I wish to know what it is."


	20. Irises and Hidden Dangers

**Chapter 20: Irises and Hidden Dangers**

Kenshin was feeling a strange sensation of deja vu as he stared around him. All of his friends were gaping around him with awe. It was a shared feeling.

They were currently standing inside Inuyasha's home. It was huge. All of the rooms seemed sized for larger creatures than mere humans. It was Jaken who finally explained that full blooded dog youkai could transform into a giant dog form. The ancestrial home of Inuyasha's family had been built with that in mind.

Kenshin had the strangest feeling he'd been here before.

"Wow!" he heard Yahiko yell. "So my ancestors lived here?" Yahiko's ancestors. Inuyasha, Inutari ...and also Sesshoumaru...

He had lived here, in another life.

Kenshin failed to realize that Jaken had been watching him closely since their arrival. Inuyasha had rushed straight to the shrine before anything else. He was currently speaking with his daughter, the wolves, and Myouga.

As Yahiko, Kaoru, Megumi, and Sanosuke continued to gape around them, Kenshin padded softly down the wide corridor. Some hidden pull caused him to take a right turn at the next hallway. The red haired human walked down the eerily familiar hall and took another right. His feet seemed to have taken on a life of their own.

Kenshin halted in front of a large, closed off chamber. _What..._

"This was your bed chamber, my Lord," Jaken said. The small youkai had followed quietly behind the distracted Kenshin. Kenshin whipped around and stared hard at the green youkai.

"This...was this one's bed chamber?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes my Lord," Jaken answered. Kenshin stared at him and then back at the closed off chamber. A bead of sweat ran unbidden down the back of his neck.

"Jaken, this one would like to go in there," he said.

"Off course, my Lord."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Misao hung a dizzy head over the side of the ship. She gagged, but willed herself not to lose her breakfast. This was the first time she'd ever been on the sea. A wave rocked the ship and this time Misao did lose her breakfast.

She groaned as she sagged over the ship's railing. Damn Aoshi, why didn't this bother him? In fact, damn everyone because she was the only one getting sick. The ship rocked again and her stomach lurched. Gag.

Never EVER again would she get on a ship.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Are you well now Misao?" Aoshi asked. Misao glared at him from her place in the corner. If she hadn't been feeling so sick, she'd throw a shuriken at him. Stupid, smug Aoshi, calmly drinking his green tea a safe distance from her.

Apparently he was afraid she'd throw up on him.

If she'd had anything else to throw up, she would have.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kagome stared thoughtfully around her. Naraku had temporarily left the room and the old hag had been left to watch her. She sighed as she reviewed what she knew from listening to the bastard.

She had a clay body, that was clear. That meant she'd have to collect souls to rejuvinate her body. What else? Oh, yeah.

She had a spider mark on her chest.

Kagome hadn't noticed it at first. But now that she had, she could feel that something foreign was inside of her. It was this foreign substance that was allowing Naraku to control her. What was it that he'd said before? _'You have a demonseed inside of you.'_

Demonseed? That must be the name of thing inside her.

Kagome looked around her again. It was still just Binh, the ancient hag. She hadn't been sure at first, but now she was.

The demonseed didn't have complete control over her. The priestess had seen other servants around the castle with it, and they no longer were able to speak with a will of their own, unlike her. Kagome had come to the conclusion that it was because that her body was no longer made of flesh, but of clay. If that was true, then she might be able to escape.

She might be able to force the demonseed from her body.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Hey, where'd Kenshin go?" Kaoru asked worriedly. Sanosuke shrugged before pointing in another direction.

"I saw him and Jaken walking that way," he answered. Kaoru made to go after him, but a hand from Shippo stopped her.

"I think you should leave him for a moment Kaoru," he said.

"Why?"

"Sesshoumaru's private rooms are in the direction he went," the kitsune answered. The four humans paused to gape at him.

"Wh...what?" Kaoru stammered. "You mean Kenshin went to see Sessh...his rooms?"

"Yes, that's why you should probably wait a moment before going after him," Shippo said. Kaoru stared at him before nodding reluctantly.

"Okay, but..." she started to say, but was interrupted by a certain wolf and her young apprentice.

"Hey you, Runt! Hah! I knew it! You ARE one of Inuyasha'a mutts!" Kouga yelled. Yahiko growled up at smug looking wolf youkai.

"I'm not a Runt!" he yelled.

"Look Little Mutt, you're smaller than me, so therefore you're a Runt!"

"I'M NOT LITTLE! STOP CALLING ME LITTLE, WOLF BUTT!"

"Wolf butt? Is that supposed to upset me Dog Breath?" Kouga asked in amusement. Yahiko swung his bokken, a very dismayed Miroku, at the wolf. The youkai simply stepped out of the way.

"DON'T CALL ME DOG BREATH!" Yahiko yelled. Of course, Sanosuke being Sanosuke, decided to yell _'Dog Breath'_ really loud. He was rewarded with a bonk on the head by a protesting Miroku.

_"Yahiko!"_ Miroku yelled._ "Put me down! Stop smacking me against people!"_

"You should listen to the Monk little Runt," Kouga jibed.

"SHUT UP!" Yahiko yelled back. "AND WHAT'S WITH THE STUPID SKIRT?" Everyone looked over at the fur clothing wrapped around Kouga's waist. The wolf reddened as he shook a fist at Yahiko.

"IT'S A KILT! A KILT DAMMIT!"

"I don't know, it looks like a skirt to me," Sanosuke said.

"Yes, I agree," Megumi added.

"IT'S NOT A SKIRT!"

"Actually, I agree with Sanosuke for once," Kaoru said. Everyone else nodded, including Sango and Namu. Kouga growled at all of them before turning a deadly glare upon young Yahiko.

"IT'S A KILT YOU LITTLE MUTT! A KILT"

"SKIRT!"

"KILT!"

"SKIRT!"

"WOULD EVERYONE JUST SHUT THE HELL UP?" Inuyasha bellowed. Everyone paused to look at him, but Kouga couldn't resist getting the last word in.

"It's a kilt," Kouga whispered.

"OH SHUT UP KOUGA, IT'S A DAMN SKIRT AND YOU KNOW IT!" Inuyasha yelled.

"WHAT'D YOU SAY DOG BREATH!"

"I SAID IT'S A SKIRT YOU MANGY WOLF! NOW SHUT UP SO WE CAN TALK, AND...WHERE THE HELL IS KENSHIN?" the hanyou asked loudly. Everyone looked at each other and then down the hallway.

"He and Jaken went to Sesshoumaru's private chambers," Shippo finally volunteered. The hanyou lord stared at him for a moment before turning to go after the red haired human.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kenshin studied the old armor thoughtfully. It was Sesshoumaru's old armor, and it was obviously made for a taller man. He ran his finger along one of the deep cracks on the armor.

"Jaken," he asked. "Is this the armor that...Sesshoumaru wore when he died?"

"It is, my Lord," the youkai answered quietly. Kenshin stared at a gaping hole in the armor. For a very brief but unsettling moment, he felt a faint pain in his chest. He felt it in the exact location where the hole was in the armor.

Kenshin carefully set the armor back down and continued to wander about the very large room. He halted before a bookcase filled with scrolls. He hesitated a moment before pulling one out and unrolling it. He stared at it a moment before looking at Jaken.

"Is this...Sesshoumaru's handwriting?"

"Yes," the youkai answered. Kenshin stared warily back down at the scroll. It looked like his handwriting. It _was_ his handwriting. Unsettled, Kenshin placed it back on the shelf. As he placed it back, something caught his eye. He reached a hand back into the shelf and pulled out a perfectly preserved flower.

He stared down at it. It was a white iris, and it still smelled fresh.

"I believe that is one of Rin's flowers," Jaken said quietly. "She often gave them to Lord Sesshoumaru. He must have preserved one of them."

Kenshin stared down at the flower. Ayame and Suzume often gave him flowers too. A soft click reached his ears and he looked behind him to see Inuyasha watching him.

He and Inuyasha stared at each other for a long time before the hanyou turned and walked out. Kenshin stared after him a moment before tucking Rin's flower inside his shirt. He placed it along side a pair of wilted flowers from Ayame and Suzume.

Kenshin walked quietly out of the chamber and followed after Inuyasha.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

It was late afternoon when they were attacked.

Aoshi was immediately on his feet when something crashed through the wall. Misao lurched to her feet, still clutching her stomach. Gojin was also on his feet.

The girl was missing.

Aoshi barely had time to consider this as he defended himself against the intruder. He swung his kodachi at it, but the small creature was too fast, too nimble. It screeched and jumped back out of the hole. The swordsman rushed up onto the deck. He paused only to yell back at Misao.

"Misao! Find the girl!" The child had been playing a game of hide and seek with the still sea sick Misao. Who knew where she was.

He barely managed to duck as the creature zipped past him. Aoshi again tried to slash it, but it jumped out of the way and ran up the mast and onto the mainsail. He braced himself for another attack, but it never came.

Aoshi resheathed his short sword and went in search for young Kaia. He found her a few minutes later crying in Misao's arms.

"Is it gone?" the girl asked tearfully. Misao gently patted her head reassuringly as she looked up at Aoshi. _'Is it gone?'_ she mouthed silently. Aoshi, being mindful of the terrified young girl, mouthed silently back that it was for the moment.

"It's all right, Little One," Aoshi said calmly. "You are safe with us." The little girl sniffled as she looked up at the emotionless man.

"Really?" she asked. Aoshi nodded. The girl brightened, and then to Aoshi's immense surprise, she hugged his leg.

"Thank you Mr. Aoshi!" she exclaimed. "You're almost as brave as Daddy!"

"Almost?" Aoshi asked with deeply hidden amusement.

"Yeah, almost!"

In a hidden corner of his heart, he felt a small piece lighten as he looked down at the small girl. However, at the same time, a piece of his heart was also nagging at him.

Be cautious.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kagome peered at the old hag from underneath her bangs. Naraku still hadn't returned. The priestess closed her eyes as she concentrated on the sickly presence inside her chest. Just a little more...ah.

With a blinding flash, the demonseed burst out of her chest. Kagome staggered from the force of it as she held a hand over the hole in her chest. The ancient crone was on her feet, squawking and screeching for help.

For a moment, Kagome couldn't react as she stared down at what had popped from her chest. A purplish spider was crawling across the floor. Sickened, Kagome squashed it with another burst of spiritual power. Then as Naraku came hurrying into the room, she turned in the other direction and held out her arms.

The wall exploded out in front of her and Kagome leaped through the gaping hole. Without pausing for a moment, she took off down a random corridor.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_Author's note: Gah! A cliffhanger! I'm evil. Anyway, sorry for the delayed update. It sucks very much when you don't have internet access at home. It sucks even more when the campus library is closed most of the weekend. (And of course when it's open, I have to work. :( )_

_Anyway, I'm going to attempt to update about twice a week, and at least once a week._

_And also, I'm debating if I should add further RK characters in the future. Right now, I've got about all the characters I can handle, so perhaps later. But in the meantime, does anyone have any requests? If you do, I'll think about it and see if I can work them into my story at a later time._


	21. The Great Escape and a Fox's Quarrel

**Chapter 21: The Great Escape and a Fox's Quarrel**

Kagome raced down the corridor. She didn't dare to glance behind her as she ran. She already knew that Naraku was behind her.

She gasped as a thorny whip wrapped itself around a leg. Several more then encircled her torso and arms and proceeded to drag her backwards.

No! She won't go back to Naraku! She won't!

With a cry, she lashed out with spiritual energy and her bonds disintegrated. Kagome heard a gruff curse as she caused the ceiling to collapse above her and Naraku.

The priestess then ducked through a hole in the wall and ran. Kagome was briefly thankful that she couldn't run out of breath in a clay body.

However, she sorely missed her bow and arrows.

The sound of a hiss was all the warning she had. Kagome dove to floor as a chain wizzed through where her head had previously been. Acting on impulse, she grabbed the chain and sent a pulse of energy down it. The feline youkai at the other end sent up a yowl as it was hit by the energy shock.

Without a pause, Kagome whipped the energy charged chain around her head, catching several more youkai with the attack.

This time Kagome did pause, but only long enough to grab a human sized weapon from one of the dead youkai. She gripped the katana in one hand as she ran into a nearby room. She found another youkai waiting for her.

The youkai appeared to be some sort of lizard. It's slitted eyes glittered dangerously at her from within a blue and yellow skin. It wore only a fur pelt around its waist, fully revealing the spider mark on its chest.

Kagome placed her other hand on the hilt of her borrowed sword. Even though she preferred a good bow, she wasn't bad with a blade. Inuyasha and Sango had taught her swordsmanship when she was still alive.

As the strange youkai lunged at her, Kagome parried and thrust the blade point at the youkai's throat. He beat away the attack an lunged at the clay priestess.

Kagome jumped back as she brought her blade up in a defensive position. Okay, maybe her swordsmanship wasn't as good as she thought. She wished again that she had her bow.

With a sudden thought, Kagome realized that she might be able to use the sword in the same way she used her arrows. The sword glowed brightly in her hands as she blocked a downward cut from the youkai.

The youkai's blade snapped as it made contact with her sword. Kagome then made a leap that would have made Inuyasha proud. The youkai disintegrated as she sliced down in a diagonal cross cut through the neck and torso.

Kagome didn't have time to savor her small victory. Harsh youkai voices drifted down the hallway and she surveyed her surroundings in a panic. In a stroke of luck, she noticed a window to her left.

She raced to the window and peered down. Several stories down from the window, the ground dropped sharply into a rocky enbankment. Could she make it?

The wall crashed open behind her and Kagome pulled herself through the window and jumped without a second thought. She landed with a thud among the sharp rocks and rolled down the steep hill. Again she was briefly thankful not to have a body of flesh and blood.

Kagome dropped down into a high, muddy creek that ran below the enbankment. Gripping the katana in her left hand, she submerged and swam in the direction of the current. Not having to breath, she stayed under for several minutes before daring to look.

The priestess peeked out long enough to see several youkai running along the stream. She ducked back under and considered her options.

Naraku knew she was in the water and might send youkai in after her. It was after all the only place she could have gone. The area beyond the creek was flat, barren land. The forest, while not incredibly far away, was still far enough to be out of reach. However, as long as she remained in the stream, the youkai couldn't track her by scent. There must be something she could do...

Kagome turned around in the water and struggled up stream. Naraku would expect her to travel with the current. The priestess dug the sword into the soft creek bed and pulled herself forward. Unfortunately, the current was very strong here.

She gritted her teeth as she groped for a finger hold on a rock. Kagome realized then that she'd never be able to swim up stream against the strong current. It was hard enought to swim downstream in her loose fitting clothes. Kagome wrapped her arms around a boulder and decided to wait it out.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Naraku glared out from his position overlooking the enbankment. _That vile woman..._

He chuckled suddenly to himself. He'd suspected that something like this might happen. The demonseed worked by digging into the flesh of its victims. However, the priestess no longer had a body of flesh.

"My Lord?" Binh asked fearfully. Naraku turned to study the dirty hag. He smirked at her discomfort and peered back at the horizon.

"I suspected that something like this might occur," he said calmly. The ancient crone gave a start.

"My Lord?" she asked in disbelief. Naraku chuckled darkly. The old hag swallowed a lump of fear as she continued.

"My Lord," she said hesitantly. "If you suspected that the demonseed wouldn't work on the priestess, then why did you take the risk of resurrecting her?" Naraku turned a cold glare on the hag. He was hardly in the habit of explaining himself. Binh caught the dark glint in his eyes as impatiently answered.

"I have my reasons creature, that is all you need to know," he hissed. Naraku smirked as she cowered back. Good. He looked up at the late afternoon sky.

_There will be a new moon tonight_, he thought.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Namu stomped down the great hallway as his little sister ran after him.

"Namu! Wait! Father didn't mean..." Sango cried. Namu ignored the young kitsune as he went into his room and flopped onto his bed. Kirara came rushing in with a mew and settled herself by his head.

He hated his father. He hated him!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Shippo growled as he stomped outside into the forest. He gave another growl of agitation as he jumped up into a tree. The kitsune crossed his arms obstinately and glared darkly around him. He wasn't even entirely sure how the fight had started.

They'd been discussing what to do next when Inuyasha had said that he wanted to leave that very night. No one had any idea of where to start, but the stubborn hanyou lord was dead set on leaving anyway. Miroku had tactfully reminded him that tonight was the new moon. Inuyasha would lose his powers and become a full blooded human for the night.

Of course Inuyasha, being Inuyasha, fought the argument. He wasn't going to sit around with his tail between his legs when he could be out looking for Kagome's ashes. He especially wasn't going to sit around and let Kouga look for her himself.

Shippo had then taken that moment to tell Inuyasha, quite tactfully he had thought, that Inuyasha needed to wait until morning.

Namu had then exploded at that, apparently taking his father's words to mean that hanyous were a liability in their human form. Father and son had then gotten into a heated quarrel, each misunderstanding, or choosing not to understand, the other's words. A growling and highly irate Inuyasha had finally intervened and punched the two foxes to shut them up.

Shippo growled again as he slammed his fist down against the tree. It shattered under his fist. He lept down as the fractured wood splintered around him.

Dammit, why did this have to happen now? The kitsune sighed as he sat down on the ground by the destroyed tree.

Was he really such a terrible father?

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Inuyasha gave a 'feh' as he stormed back to his private chambers. Much to his agitation, he realized that nothing would probably get accomplished tonight. The hanyou had left the startled humans to their own devices in the Great Hall.

The hanyou pushed down the impulse to turn back and throttle both father and son. If only Kagome was here, then something might be done about the pair.

The dog hanyou flipped onto his back as he jumped on to the bed. He stared up at the high ceiling.

_Kagome, where are you?_

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Oh dear oh dear oh dear," Myouga wailed. The flea youkai jumped up and down in dismay from his position on Amaya's shoulder. The quarter youkai sighed as she headed to her and Akio's bed chambers to check on their baby. She paused long enough to consider the humans.

"There's food and drink down the hall if you wish," she said. "I'll join you in a little while, after I check on my daughter." The quarter youkai then turned as she and Akio disappeared down the next corridor. Kouga shrugged his shoulders and popped his knuckles.

"I guess that's that," Kouga growled. "You might as well do as Amaya said and make yourselves comfortable. It doesn't look like we'll be doing anything until tomorrow." _Those damn foxes_, he thought. _As if things aren't screwed up enough._ Kouga turned and sauntered down the hall to find some food. Jaken followed close behind him.

Kenshin stared after the angry Namu. He sighed to himself as he began to walk after the teenaged fox hanyou. Kaoru joined him and the two wondered if they'd be able to calm the young man down. Sanosuke gave a feh as he jammed his fishbone back into his mouth.

"I guess I'd better go check on that mangy, flea ridden fox," he muttered. Sano stomped off in Shippo's direction, leaving Megumi, Yahiko, and Miroku behind.

_"This certaintly is a mess,"_ Miroku sighed. _"I wish that either Kagome, Sango, or myself had been around when Shippo and Namu first met. Inuyasha did as well as he could, but he's not a peacemaker."_

"You think you guys could have helped?" Yahiko asked. The dead monk sighed inside the wooden bokken.

_"I don't know Yahiko. However, I do feel for both Shippo and Namu. I know that this is tearing Shippo apart, even if he might not show it. Remember, I knew him as a child. Despite being a youkai, Shippo has always had a very kind and warm heart. He wouldn't willingly abandon any child of his. I don't believe he is intentionally alienating Namu."_

Megumi sighed as she brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. A kind heart, an easy smile, and a foul temper when aroused...both father and son were more alike than they were ready to admit. She frowned suddenly as she caught Yahiko's right hand inching toward her rear end.

"Miroku..." she warned. Yahiko gave her a questioning look and looked down at the wooden sword tucked in his sash. He suddenly noticed then what his hand was doing.

"MIROKU!" Yahiko yelled. He whipped the possessed bokken out and banged it against the floor.

_"Yahiko! Put me down!"_ Miroku shouted.

"YOU WERE TRYING TO MAKE ME TOUCH MEGUMI'S BUTT AGAIN!"

Miroku sniffed at that. If he'd still possessed his human body, the monk would have flashed a lecherous leer.

_"Yahiko, I'm appalled. How can you think such a crass thing of me?"_

"Because you're Miroku," came a gruff voice. Kouga chomped on a piece of meat as he studied the trio. "You never change, do ya monk?" he asked. The wolf looked down to see that Yahiko and Megumi were eyeing his food.

"Uh..is that raw?" Yahiko asked. Kouga looked down at the food in his hand.

"So it is," he said. Yahiko and Megumi turned green. Oblivious to them, Kouga took another big chomp from his prize. Megumi gagged.

"Uh...is all the food raw?" Yahiko asked suspiciously. Kouga blinked as he looked from Yahiko to his food and back again. The wolf smirked as he held the food out to the boy.

"Want some?" he asked.

"NO!" Yahiko asked.

"Your loss," he muttered and took another chomp. This time Yahiko gagged. "Oh save it!" Kouga yelled. "Why do all you humans have such weak stomachs?" He took another chomp and swallowed. He examined the now meatless bone in his hand before sticking an end in his mouth to gnaw at it.

"Besides," Kouga said dryly, "There's cooked food back there too. There's smoked meat, fruit, and plenty of ramen." Both Megumi and Yahiko each gave a sigh of relief.

The wolf continued to gnaw at the bone until a thought occured to him. He bent down close to Yahiko's face and sniffed him.

"What are you doing?" Yahiko asked stiffly.

"You've got some dog youkai blood, right?" Kouga asked.

"Yeah, but not much. Inuyasha says I'm pretty much human," he said. The wolf grinned at him a split second before grabbing his mouth and wrenching it open.

"Whaa..wha'dre you dwoing?" Yahiko cried. Kouga forced the boy's mouth open and peered inside.

"I don't see any dog teeth," the wolf mused.

"Owww! Wet go owf mwe!" Yahiko tried to kick Kouga, but the wolf youkai merely stuck his finger into the boy's mouth and felt around.

"Feh, you just have lame human teeth," he complained. Yahiko glared dangerously at him before managing to close his mouth in a snap, catching Kouga's finger between his teeth.

"OWWW!" Kouga yelled. "AHH..AHH..."

_"Yahiko, let go of Kouga,"_ Miroku said. Yahiko opened his mouth and the agitated wolf jumped away.

"My finger! You actually bit my finger!"

"Well that's what happens when you stick a finger in someone's mouth," Megumi giggled. Kouga glared at her as he nursed his bruised finger. Then he unexpectantly laughed cheerfully.

"Heh, I guess you really do have dog blood Kid," he smirked.

"I'M NOT A KID!"

"YOU ARE COMPARED TO ME!"

Yahiko didn't have a comeback for that.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Aoshi grimaced as he clutched his left arm. Damn...

He glared coldly around him, but the creature had already disappeared. Damn.

"Aoshi!" Misao cried. Aoshi held back a grimace as he examined his arm. Just before the creature had escaped again, it had managed to rake him with it's claws. He raised his arm and pressed his other hand firmly over the wound to stop the bleeding. Thankfully, the slashes weren't as deep as he had feared.

"Misao," he said dispassionately, "Go check on Gojin and the girl." Misao flashed a stubborn look at him before walking down below. After a quick review of his surroundings, he followed her.

When he got down there, Misao was already wringing out a wet rag for him. Aoshi took it and began the process of cleaning away the blood. The young girl peered over Misao's shoulder as she gazed wide eyed at Aoshi's wounded arm.

"Is it really bad Mr. Aoshi?" she asked. Aoshi looked briefly up at the girl before turning his attention back to the task at hand.

"Is it fine child," he assured her. But he winced soon after as pressed a little too hard against the wound. Damn. The girl gasped as she stared at the five claw marks gashed into his arm.

"Misao, please take..." Aoshi started to say and stopped in surprise as the girl held her hand over his wounded arm.

"Momma always did this when I was hurt," she explained. Before Aoshi could ask, the girl waved her hand over his arm before exclaiming "Owwie Owwie go away!" She then jumped back with a smile and examined the emotionless Aoshi.

"Does it still hurt Mr. Aoshi?" she asked. Actually, it did still hurt. It hurt a lot. But she didn't need to know that.

"A little," Aoshi lied. "But it does feel much better now, thank you." Misao gaped at him and pushed down a giggle. She looked up to see Gojin place a hand on the girl's shoulder and lead her away.

"Come now Miss Kaia," the disguised youkai said. "Let us go get some fresh air." The girl blinked up at him before planting her hands on her hips in defiance.

"No! I wanna stay with Mr. Aoshi!" she declared. Her eyes flashed stubbornly.

Gojin was caught off guard. She wasn't supposed to disobey him! The child was just a dirty half breed that Raizel had found in the mountains. The hanyou girl's memories had been wiped before the demonseed had been placed inside her. She was supposed to obey him!

"Miss Kaia," Gojin forced out calmly, "I believe that we should go outside. You've been down here nearly all day. It isn't healthy. You need some fresh air."

"No," she said stubbornly. The snake youkai bit back a growl. Infernal child. Apparently she had outlived her usefulness if she could counteract the demonseed.

"Miss Kaia," Aoshi said. "Your guardian is correct. This enclosed air is not healthy for a child. You should go outside." The girl bit her lip stubbornly.

"Yeah," Misao offered helpfully. "Besides Kaia, the sun should be setting soon. It'll look really pretty, why don't you go see it?" The girl's eyes widened at that.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really," Misao said. The girl scrunched up her face in thought as she considered it. Then she smiled broadly up at the young woman.

"Okay!" she exclaimed. Then to Aoshi's shock, the young girl hugged him and lightly kissed his cheek before scampering up the ramp.

"Get better Mr. Aoshi!" she called back.

A stunned Aoshi stared after the little girl. He unconsciously touched the cheek she had kissed. This time the pain really had disappeared.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kagome wasn't sure how much time had passed. But after what had felt like an eternity to her, she finally stuck her head out of the water.

It was evening now. The sun was fading into the west as millions of stars began to twinkle in the darkening sky.

The priestess looked around her. She didn't see any youkai, but that didn't mean that she wasn't being watched. Kagome looked up at the sky and saw that it was a new moon.

_Inuyasha will be a human tonight,_ she thought. _I wonder what year it is?_

She climbed out of the creek and looked down at her clothes. They had been stained by the dirty creek water. Her once white haori was now a dull brown. Even as Kagome grimaced in distaste, she knew that this was actually a good thing.

She was still too close to Naraku's castle. A clean, white haori would only give her away at night. The diry layer on her clothes and skin should serve as a convenient camouflage.

Kagome grimaced down at her dirty hands. She had always hated being dirty. She glanced down at the muddy sword still in her left hand.  
It was the only weapon that she had. However, even dirty, the gleam of a sword might give her away if some chance light reflected upon it. She reluctantly tossed it back into the muddy creek as she began to make her way out of Naraku's land.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kenshin sighed as he lay back on his futon. It had taken a while, but he, Kaoru, and Sango had managed to calm Namu down. Kaoru had then taken his mind off the fight by telling him about the Kamiya Kasshin style. The young hanyou had watched with great interest as Kaoru had then demonstrated some of the techniques for him.

The red haired swordsman yawned. Apparently Sanosuke had also succeeded in calming Shippo down as well, although he hadn't really gone into any details about their conversation. The two had been drinking sake when Kenshin had finally found them.

Inuyasha had also finally sauntered out of his room to get something to eat. Even though they had been told that he would turn into a human, it was still unexpected. The raven haired Inuyasha had given them a defiant look as he dug into a huge bowl of ramen.

Then he had proceeded to get into a mini food war with Kouga, which Yahiko had joyfully joined in on. It had ended with Inuyasha and Kouga chasing the boy down the hall.

Oh well, Kenshin sighed. At least that had lightened the tension among everyone.

He turned over and slowly drifted off into sleep. Somewhere then in the back of his unconscious mind floated a disembodied voice.

_Naraku will suffer greatly for what he did to me._

Unknown to the sleeping Kenshin, a blue crescent moon shimmered briefly on his forehead before disappearing.


	22. The Night of the New Moon

**Chapter 22: The Night of the New Moon**

Naraku contently inhaled the scent of his green tea as he studied the moonless sky. According to Kagura's memories, this was the night that Inuyasha became a human.

He idly twirled a finger in the hot liquid and brought it to his lips. He allowed himself the brief fantasy that he was tasting Inuyasha's blood.

_In time_, he promised himself.

Naraku eyed the repairs to his castle for a moment before returning inside. He paused only long enought to refill his tea before heading down deep into the heart of his fortress. He slid open a hidden passageway and walked down the poorly lit corridor until he came to his destination.

A huge, silky cacoon like mass hung suspended in the huge stone chamber as millions of unseen creatures grew inside of it. It pulsed grotesquely, as if the very cacoon itself were a living entity.

A very please Naraku took a sip of tea.

_"The number of eggs that a spider lays at one time varies with the size of the animal. A female of average size lays about one hundred eggs. Some of the largest spiders lay more than two thousand eggs."_

The production rate of demonseed was moving along quite smoothly.

Naraku reached a hand into the silky, wriggling mass and pulled out a purplish-brown spider. It writhed and tried to bite him, but Naraku only laughed and absorbed in into his skin.

His precious spiders were merely an extension of his own will. They worked by digging into the flesh of their victims and by partially absorbing themselves into the victim's body. In this way, Naraku was able to completely control the person under the influence of his spiders.

He took another satisfied sip of tea before turning to a nearby servant.

"I will be having a...guest shortly," Naraku said. "Prepare for him."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Aoshi placed his hand on the hilt of his kodachi. Unbidden, a single bead of sweat dripped down the back of his neck. The creature had attacked twice more, and had each time slipped away.

Aoshi also now possessed a nice collection of claw marks on his chest and arms.

Where the hell was it? Instinct saved him then, as the small creature blurred out of the corner. He managed to get his kodachi up this time and actually managed to cut one of its hands.

The creature screeched and disappeared.

The former Okashira leaned briefly against a wall before heading warily back to the others.

_Damn._

The sounds of a crying Kaia drew his attention and he ran quickly down under the deck. Gojin was calmly wringing out a rag as Misao tried to comfort her.

His heart seemed to skip a beat and Aoshi forced himself to take a breath.

The girl's left hand was bleeding.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Naraku puffed experimentally on a tobacco pipe he had acquired from a European merchant. He had found himself increasingly curious about foreign oddities. He had even taken to dressing himself in a European styled suit. Quite curious really...

He examined the gold pocket watch in his hands. Curious indeed.

It was Naraku's plan, after he killed Inuyasha and his friends, to slowly take control of the Meiji government. Once he accomplished that, he would begin to expand his influence into other countries.

He took another puff of tobacco and slowly blew out a cloud of smoke.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"What happened to her?" Aoshi asked. He forced dispassion into his voice to hide his sudden uneasiness. The girl looked up at him and sniffed before wailing.

"Mr. Aoshi!" she cried. "I was so scared, it.."

"It's all right Kaia," Misao reassured her. "That thing is gone for now."

"What happened?" Aoshi repeated. He was staring at the girl's bloody hand.

"I'm afraid I don't know," Gojin admitted. "She had been playing hide and seek down among the crates while you were hunting the creature. I was looking for her when she gave a cry. She must have cut her hand on something while she was playing."

Kaia sniffed and Misao quickly dried her tears.

Aoshi stared a moment longer before walking back up onto the deck.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kagome sat down finally in the nightly shadows of the tall trees. She had made it into the forest without being detected.

Why did she feel so weak?

The dead priestess leaned against a tree trunk and the answer came to her. It was the exact same reason that Kikyo always became weak.

She needed souls to animate her clay body.

Kagome sighed deeply. The one thing she'd never wanted to do, the one thing she might have to do. Maybe she should just lie here until she faded away.

No...

She was stronger than that. Besides, something told her that Inuyasha needed her right now.

_"Kagome."_

That voice...

Kagome opened her eyes expectantly and was awarded with the transperant visage of an old and very dear friend.

_"Kagome, can you hear me?"_ the voice asked.

"Yes Sango," Kagome smiled. "I can see you." The ghostly Sango smiled in return as she bent down next to her friend.

_"Kagome, you must keep going. Naraku needs to be stopped."_

"I know," Kagome said. "I'm going to go find Inuyasha." Sango suddenly shook her head no.

_"Don't, not yet. He'll find you soon anyway Kagome. He's with his brother."_ Kagome gave a start at that.

"His brother? How...oh..." She suddenly remembered what Kaede had said. Sesshoumaru had finally been reincarnated.

"Why Sango? Why shouldn't I go find him yet?"

_"Because...because I need you to do something first Kagome. Please."_ Kagome sat up at the urgency in her voice. Sango continued softly. _"One of Kohaku's descendants is heading this way. Naraku has tricked him into coming here and I fear for him. If Naraku gains control of him, things will turn badly for Inuyasha and the others. Please help him,_" Sango pleaded.

Kagome struggled to sit up.

"Sango, I'd be glad to, but I barely have the energy to walk. I hate to say it, but if I want to keep going, I'm going to have to use the soul collectors," she admitted. Sango studied her for several long moments before placing her transparent hand over Kagome's.

_"Use me,"_ she suggested. Kagome's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"No! I can't! I won't!"

_"It's not what you think,"_ Sango laughed. _"I mean, just use my energy until you find the soul collectors. At least we'd be able to talk to each other a little while longer." _Kagome stared at her before finally holding out her hands. Sango's spirit faded into a glowing ball of energy, which absorbed itself into the priestess's body.

"Sango?" Kagome asked worriedly.

_"I'm here,"_ she heard in her mind. Kagome gave a sigh of relief as she felt the youkai slayer's presence inside her. She straightened up after a moment with a new look of determination on her face.

"Let's get going Sango."

_"Agreed."_

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_"Father?"_

_The ghostly image of a dog youkai lord examined him sharply before fading away._

_"Father!"_

_He reached a hand out to the disappearing youkai. The dog's golden eyes bored deeply into him as he finally spoke._

_"Use the Tenseiga."_

_"How? It's worthless Father! Why didn't you give me the Tetsusaiga?"_

_His father faded completely away, only to be replaced by another familiar image._

_Naraku._

_The bastard laughed darkly as release a single, large soul collector from within his body. Naraku had absorbed the soul collectors of that human priestess, the one that had smelled of graveyard soil. He'd combined them into one entity and had released it as his final incarnation._

_The soul collector twisted around him and the dog youkai bemoaned the lack of an arm. Damn Inuyasha, he could really use that arm right now. His eyes reddened as he began to transform into his dog form._

_Damn creature, he would kill Naraku!_

_The creature hissed at him as it lunged toward his chest._

_He would kill Naraku!_

_The youkai ripped into the soul collector and the exact instant it dug into his chest. The youkai lord gasped as he felt himself ripping apart._

_He will kill Naraku! He will!_

A pair of amber eyes snapped open as the sleeping human woke up. A disorientated Kenshin growled dangerously as he grabbed his reverse blade sword and the Tenseiga.

He will kill Naraku.

A blue crescent moon glowed upon his forehead as four red stripes grew across his cheeks. The newly awakened Sesshoumaru stood up slowly as he examined his surroundings. Who were these humans sleeping around him?

The youkai lord ignored them as he stepped out into a hallway. There, framed against the lantern lit corridor, stood a human Inuyasha.

His younger brother did not appear to be pleased.


	23. Unpleasant Discoveries

**Chapter 23: Unpleasant Discoveries**

Seconds past, or perhaps an eternity. Inuyasha wasn't sure. He and Sesshoumaru continued to stare at each other in the dimly lit hall.

"You're awake," Inuyasha finally said bluntly. "That's inconvenient." Sesshoumaru's amber eyes narrowed beneath the red hair.

"Inconvenient? And how is that little brother?" The awakened youkai lord stared hard at the hanyou before an unpleasant thought occurred to him.

"What do you mean by 'awake' Inuyasha?" he asked coldly. Sesshoumaru felt a flash of irritation as his brother smirked at him. Come to think of it, WHY was his brother wearing armor...and that fur stole? The fur stole was the mark of leadership for their family! Inuyasha's lips quirked in amusement as he eyed his brother.

"You don't remember, do you?" the hanyou asked. He received an impassive glare. Inuyasha's fangs glittered brightly as he flashed another grin. He didn't remember anything. Heh. The chance to torment his brother was too good to pass up.

"Look at your hands Sesshoumaru," he commanded. His brother's eyes flashed at the authoritive tone in his voice, but looked down. The youkai lord gave an actual jerk of surprise as he stared at his hands.

His hand...they were human hands!

It was also then that Sesshoumaru noticed the red hair framing his face. He instantly whipped out a sword to study his reflection. But instead of unsheathing the Tenseiga, he unsheathed the reverse-blade sword.

Sesshoumaru first stared at his reflection and then at the strange sword. Then he turned a cold stare upon his younger half brother.

"Explain," he growled. Inuyasha smirked again as he answered.

"You're name's Himura Kenshin. You've been reincarnated as a human. Like I said before, you're awake."

Sesshoumaru stared at him in stunned silence.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Aoshi stared up at the night sky. A new moon...

It seemed more like a dark omen to him.

The others were currently down below deck, trying to sleep. But he couldn't, not after what he'd just seen.

Young Kaia's hand had been bleeding, in the exact spot where he'd cut the creature. Coincidence? He doubted it. Aoshi wanted more than anything to believe that the little girl was innocent, but cold logic continued to point at her.

Kaia was about the same size of the creature and he'd never been with her when the creature attacked. So the question remained, was the child he'd come to know never a child at all? Or was she still the girl he'd met, except unaware of what she was? Aoshi eyed one of his short swords.

Either way, the outcome of this was going to be most unpleasant.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Sesshoumaru felt a flash of anger. Lies! They had to be lies! But yet, his ever logical mind was screaming at him to listen to Inuyasha. It was obvious that a number of years had passed. Inuyasha was older, darker, and dare he say, a little more mature. The hanyou in front of him resembled their father in far more ways than he cared to admit.

Inuyasha was no longer the cocky and brash young man he'd been.

He stared back down at his hands, his human hands. Impossible! This couldn't be...

"Inuyasha," came another voice, a male one. "What's going on?" Sesshoumaru turned his head to eye the newcomer. A full grown male kitsune glared back at him. The kitsune's green eyes narrowed as he turned to the hanyou.

"Sesshoumaru is awake I see. Kaoru's not going to be happy."

Who was Kaoru? And who was this kitsune? The sudden image of a young kitsune child flashed in his mind and the youkai lord stared. Could this youkai be that very same child he'd seen years ago? But that kitsune child had different, full of childish innocense. This kitsune glared back at him with a tempermental air, not unlike Inuyasha's.

"Are the others still awake Shippo?" Inuyasha asked, never taking his eyes off his brother. Shippo? Ah, yes, he did remember hearing that name before. So this man was that fox child he'd seen before. The kitsune crossed his arms and gave a 'feh' as he answered the hanyou. Oh yes, Inuyasha's influence was all over the fox's behavior. Poor child, having been raised by Inuyasha. He no doubt had learned all of his brother's crude mannerisms as well.

"Mostly," Shippo answered. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and the fox continued. "Sano tried to hide it, but he's awake. His smell's getting stronger, so my guess is he'll be waltzing in here any ..."

"What the hell's going on in here?"

"..minute," Shippo finished. "Sure took your time, didn't you Bird Head?" Sanosuke scowled as he stomped over to the trio.

"Hey! It's the middle of the night, so excuse me if..." Sanosuke stopped dead as he caught sight of Kenshin's face. He blinked once, twice, pinched himself, and blinked again.

"What's up with your face Kenshin?" he asked. His friend's face stared coldly at him as a low growl escaped his lips.

"My name isn't Kenshin, human," he growled. Sano felt his heart skip a beat as he stared at his transformed friend. Inuyasha took the opportunity to point a thumb in Kenshin's direction and quirk his lips dryly.

"Sanosuke, meet Sesshoumaru."

Sanosuke stared hard at the youkai possessed human. Ah hell, this wasn't good. What was Kenshin doing, taking a nap in his mind? Oh hell, oh hell, Kaoru was going to be...

"Kenshin, Sanosuke?" A sleepy eyed woman yawned as she stepped into the hallway. "What's going on?" she asked tiredly. Oh hell oh hell...

Kaoru was awake.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Aoshi stared sadly at the creature in front of him. The creature...no, the girl, had attacked again. It screetched at him in fury as it cradled it's bleeding arm. The human gripped the short sword in his hand. Could he do it? Could he kill a...a child?

No, it wasn't a child! It was all a facade!

He rushed at the creature before it could react. Aoshi raised his kodachi a fraction as he prepared to strike. But then the unexpected happened. The creature whimpered.

"Mr...Mr...Aoshi?" The voice hadn't come from the creature's lips, but it _had _come from the body. Another screetch came from it's lips, but underneath it, came another childish whimper. Aoshi's eyes suddenly latched to the back of the creature's head. Cold suspicion churned his stomach as he reached forward and spun the creature around. He lifted back it's jet black hair and stared down in horror.

The terrified eyes of a young Kaia stared back up at him.

Aoshi stared back as well. The demonic face on the other side of the child's body gave another screetch as it tried to claw away from him. Tears dripped down the girl's face as she began to cry softly.

"Mr. Aoshi...I'm scared..."

For the first time ever, Aoshi's sword arm trembled.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Kagome sighed in distaste as one by one, the soul collectors dropped souls into her body. She hated this, she hated it very much.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to the souls.

_"It's not your fault Kagome,"_ Sango said. _"I know this doesn't feel right to you, but right now, you NEED to walk in the living world again. Too much is at stake. Besides, you want to see Inuyasha again, right?"_

Kagome nodded numbly as the last soul collector deposited it's gift.

_"Besides,"_ Sango continued to mutter in the back of her mind, _"I need to make sure that Miroku's keeping himself and everyone else out of trouble. There's no telling what that lecherous monk's gotten into."_

For the first time, Kagome smiled slightly at that. Sango had told her that Miroku was back as well, if only for a time. Who knows, maybe Inuyasha needed a good sitting as well.

"Inuyasha and Miroku will sure be surprised when they see us, won't they?" she asked cheerfully. Sango agreed as they began to journey back to Naraku's land. They halted at the end of the forest and Kagome sat down.

"What's next?" Kagome asked.

_"We wait."_

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_Author's Note: This part of the story is taken a little longer than I had planned. Originally, the whole little Aoshi and Kaia drama was supposed to have been finished a chapter or two ago, but well..._

_I'll move on next chapter, I promise! Naraku's butt going to have to be kicked some time. (Although a few other things have to happen first, such as... SAITOH!)_

_Yes, to reassure all you Saitoh fans out there, he will be making an entrance in the near future._


	24. A New Strategy

**Chapter 24: A New Strategy**

"Kenshin? Sanosuke? What's going on?"

Three of the gathered men turned to warily eye the tired human woman. The fourth man only eyed her with cold curiousity. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he studied the new intruder.

Who was this human?

The youkai lord watched as the kitsune stepped between them in an attempt to stop the woman. The tall, brunette haired human also stepped next to him. The strange woman suddenly glared at them.

"What's going on?" Kaoru asked suspiciously, now fully awake.

"Uh...nothing," Shippo lied. Sanosuke hastily nodded his head in agreement. Kaoru didn't buy a word of it. The kitsune was considering how to keep her from seeing Kenshin when he felt Inuyasha's hand on his shoulder. Both he and Sano turned around to see the temporarily human hanyou looking directly at Kaoru. Inuyasha pushed the two men out of the way so that the woman had a clear view of the red haired man behind him.

The hanyou lord had learned from direct experience that women always managed to get their way in the end. So instead of holding off the inevitable, he'd decided to save time and show Kaoru the truth. There was no telling how long Kenshin would stay like this, so she'd most likely find out anyway.

"Kaoru," Inuyasha began hesitantly. He'd never been good with words. Kaoru felt a twinge of panic just then. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Why wasn't Kenshin talking to her? What was...

She stared in shock as Inuyasha, with uncharacteristic gentleness, moved her into full view of Kenshin's face. His face! His eyes, they were yellow! Did that mean that the Battousai was back? No...something was different. There were strange markings on his face. What had happened to him?

"Kenshin?" she asked hesitantly. A pair of impassive eyes regarded her. Kaoru felt a flash of fright. Something was definately wrong.

"My name is Sesshoumaru woman," he said. Kaoru's eyes widened as she stared first at him, then at the others. Inuyasha nodded his head reluctantly.

"I don't know what happened," Inuyasha admitted. "But the bastard's woken up." A pair of amber eyes glared at the currently human Inuyasha.

"You seem displeased little brother," Sesshoumaru said.

"Damn right I am! Now bring back Kenshin!"

"And just how would I accomplish that? If this Kenshin and I are one and the same, then you _are_ speaking to him."

"Don't give me that crap Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha growled. "I should..."

"Inuyasha!" Shippo yelled. "Calm down! The last thing we need is for the two of you to get into a fight. Especially not with Naraku back." Sesshoumaru's head swiveled sharply to the kitsune's direction.

"Naraku you say," Sesshoumaru murmured. "Curious. You mean to tell me that you did not kill him brother?" Inuyasha growled at that before admitting.

"I did kill him, but he was resurrected. He hid his soul inside the Toukijin. And since your sword was made from the flesh of one of his incarnations, he used it as the beginnings of a new body. The last time we saw him, some youkai lady named Raizel teleportated away with him."

Kaoru and Sanosuke eyed the exchange warily. The transformed Kenshin deeply unnerved them. Sanosuke hoped that his friend returned soon. He looked down at his side to see how Kaoru was faring.

She wasn't there.

Sanosuke blinked before looking around in a near panic. Where had the little missy gone now? He desperately hoped that she wasn't about to do something stupid.

"Kenshin, please wake up," Kaoru pleaded. An impassive Sesshoumaru stared at her.

"Begone woman, I have more urgent business to deal with right now," he said. The youkai watched curiously as her eyes narrowed dangerously within a suddenly reddened face. Some inner voice seemed to tell him to beware, but he foolishly ignored it. After all, what could a human woman do to him?

**WHACK!**

Stars danced in the youkai's eyes as a wooden bokken came out of no where and crashed down on his head. Why that wench, she would pay! Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to snarl at the human, but received yet another whack from her bokken. This time he gave an undignified yelp.

Inuyasha was laughing his ass off.

"Woman," Sesshoumaru gritted out dangerously. "You will die for this." Kaoru's eyes widened fearfully for a second before she boldy brandished her bokken at the youkai lord.

"I'd like to see you try," Kaoru taunted. "I am the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin style." Sesshoumaru growled as he began to withdraw his sword, but his hand had only succeeded in pulling the reverse blade sword halfway out of its sheath when it stopped.

It refused to pull out the sword.

Sesshoumaru stared down in surprise at his hand and willed it to withdraw the blade. But instead of obeying him, it pushed the sword back down in its sheath. He brought his other hand to his forehead as an unexpected feeling of disorientation washed over him.

"What...is this?" he wondered. The youkai lord felt light headed as he felt a strange pull in his mind. Then something strange happened to him.

A flash of memory played before him. This woman, he _did_ know her! That was when Sesshoumaru realized with shock that not only did he know her...but that he also loved her. That, for the dog youkai, was the greatest revelation of all as he sank back into the subconscious of Himura Kenshin's mind.

A very disorientated and confused Kenshin collapsed down on the ground. Kaoru immediately dropped her sword and bent down next to the swordsman. She fearfully helped him to sit up with Sanosuke's help.

The blue crescent moon was gone from his face, but the red stripes remained on his cheeks. Kenshin's eyes fluttered open, but they had returned to their normal blue color.

"Oro?"

Kenshin was back. And for some strange reason, his head hurt like hell.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Aoshi stared down at the child. What...what was she? His sword arm trembled as it waited to strike the killing blow. The child's face was now wet with tears as she stared up at the horrified Aoshi. The demonic face on the other side of her head continued to shriek.

What should he do?

"Kaia..." he murmured. Shinomori Aoshi had done many things in his life. But he had never killed a child. He'd never...

"Mr. Aoshi..." Kaia wailed. "I'm sorry Mr. Aoshi! Bad people told me...they told me..."

A stunned Aoshi could only stare down at the child. He had to do something. The creature, the child, she would break free from him if he didn't do something.

"What bad people little one?" he asked. Even his normally impassive voice shook slightly from the effort. He couldn't kill a child! He couldn't!

"Bad people..." the hanyou child sniffed. "Bad people make me do bad things!"

"Who?" Aoshi asked. "Who..." A clawed hand came up and scratched at his face. Luckily for Aoshi, he was able to move back fast enough to mostly avoid it. Even so, a tiny bit of blood trickled down from the thin scratches across his left cheek. The creature hissed at him as the child continued to wail from the back of its head. Whatever control that Kaia had managed to bring over the creature, it was now gone.

Aoshi damned his indecision as he faced off against the creature. He now believed that the child herself was not in control. But if that was so, what the hell was going on?

"Kaia, you need to get control," he said. If he could, he was going to save the girl. The creature flew at him then and the human managed to avoid another raking of its claws. Despite the opportunity, he didn't strike at it with his kodachi.

"Kai..." Another voice halted him as Misao and Gojin came stumbling up onto the deck. A small crowd of seamen and passengers were now gathering to watch them.

"Aoshi! What's going on?" Misao asked. Not turning his attention away from the creature, Aoshi yelled at the young woman.

"Misao! Get these people out of here!" he commanded. Without questioning him, Misao turned and began to bully the surrounding people away from the fight. She even brandished her shuriken at the stubborn ones who refused to budge. In under just a minute, the young Obiwaban had managed to chase the bystanders away.

However, she had also gained the attention of the creature. It screeched as it lunged itself at the surprised young woman. Without a second thought, Aoshi jumped in front of her and brought out his kodachi instinctively in defense.

The creature impaled itself upon his drawn short sword.

A wordless Aoshi watched as it slid slowly off his blade and onto the wooden deck. His suddenly nerveless hand dropped the short sword as he bent down and rolled the creature over. The pain stricken face of a young Kaia stared up at him as she made a very weak smile.

"Mr. Aoshi, I go now. Bad people can't make me hurt no more," she said softly. Then her normally bright eyes faded as her chest slowly came to a halt. Aoshi slowly brought his hands to his face for a moment before glaring up at the nearby Gojin.

"It's possible she didn't know, at least not at first," Gojin said quietly. "Our enemies are ruthless. It's not beneath them to secretly subvert a child and twist her to their will. Lord Naraku will not be pleased with this news of his daughter."

Aoshi felt his breath catch in his throat as red hot rage began to rise in his chest. It was an unusual feeling, usually his anger was cold like steel, not hot like fire. He glared at Gojin. The damnable, there wasn't even a shred of remorse in his face! Didn't he care?

Aoshi felt the sudden urge to punch the man in front of him, but he held back. It was illogical. He wasn't the one who did this to her...

"I don't trust you," Aoshi finally said.

"That is probably for the best," Gojin agreed. "Only the foolish trust blindly. On this, I think we can both agree."

Aoshi cast him an icy glare before he silently bent down to pick up the girl. Then just as quietly, he walked away with Misao following behind him.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"I think we should split up," Akio suggested. Kouga eyed his son before nodding in agreement.

"He's right Inuyasha. We'd cover more ground if all of us split up. There's no telling where that bastard's hiding," the wolf said. Inuyasha nodded absentmindedly as he looked over at Kenshin. The red stripes were still present on his face, but other than that, he was back to normal.

Kenshin didn't really seem to remember much of what happened when Sesshoumaru took over. Perhaps that was for the best.

"If we do that," Inuyasha said. "I need some people to stay here. I can't leave my home undefended." He saw his daughter open her mouth and the hanyou immediately shot her down.

"I know you want to go Amaya, but someone needs to stay here," he commanded. His daughter glared at him. Dammit, she had Kagome's stubbornness and his temper. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Father," she said. "They took Mother's ashes. I can't just sit here!"

"Amaya, I need you here," her father said firmly. "Your daughter needs you here and so do I. Naraku may try to attack if we're all gone." His daughter glared at him, but she finally, and reluctantly, agreed.

"Very well Father," she agreed. She and her father locked eyes for a moment before he nodded.

"You'll get your chance Amaya," Inuyasha said. "I promise." Kouga turned to his son then, but Akio was already one step ahead of him.

"I'll stay too father. And I'll send a message to Mother. If Naraku managed to get in here, he may try to hurt our tribe." Kouga nodded his head in approval. His son was intelligent and he was as deadly as his father in a fight. He had nothing to prove.

"Sango, Namu," Shippo said then. "I want both of you to stay here." The kitsune was met then with protests and glares. Namu opened his mouth to argue, but he caught Inuyasha glaring at him so he shut his mouth. Before Kenshin or the others could say anything, Yahiko was already protesting loudly.

"I'm going! I'm not staying behind!" he yelled.

"So much for that," Sano muttered. Inuyasha eyed his descendant a moment before smirking at him.

"Want to come with me Yahiko?" he asked. Yahiko's face lightened up as he quickly agreed. However, this only served to renew Sango and Namu's indignition at being left behind. An irate Inuyasha finally banged his fist down on the short table they were all seated at and yelled at the young foxes.

"Look, I need people to stay here!" he yelled. "Your father and I have agreed that you will remain behind!"

"But Yahiko..." Sango started.

"ENOUGH!" Inuyasha roared. "I said I need people here in case Naraku or even some other bastard tries to attack!" He softened his voice then as he looked at the downcast youngsters. "Look kids, I know you want to go. And I know it doesn't seem fair that Yahiko is going and you aren't, but you'll get your chance too. We'll draw too much attention if all of us are together."

Namu and Sango sullenly agreed to stay behind. However, they still cast a glare over at a smirking Yahiko.

"I'll stay behind as well," Megumi said. Inuyasha nodded his head in approval.

"Good, then it's Yahiko and I so far. Who else wants to come with us?"

"Wait," Kaoru said. "We don't even know where we're going to look first! Shouldn't we figure that out?" The others looked at each other a moment before sighing.

"Well I for one plan on staying here," Myouga announced. Kirara mewed and glared at the cowardly flea, but he ignored her. Inuyasha actually agreed with him though and even went so far as to ask Jaken to stay. The small youkai stared longily in Kenshin's direction, but a glare from Inuyasha stopped any protests. Even so, he still pouted. He wanted to follow Lord Sesshoumaru.

Kenshin and Sanosuke studied each other quietly before they each nodded their heads in understanding. It might be a start.

"What is it?" Megumi asked. Everyone else turned to look at the pair.

"This one thinks that perhaps we should seek out the Obiwaban, that we should," Kenshin suggested. "They have connections that could be of use to us." Sano nodded his head at that before putting his own input it.

"If we do that, we might as well get in touch with Saito. He might have information for us too. That mangy dog will have noticed if there's anything unusual going on," he said.

"Agreed," Kenshin said. "This one will go to Kyoto to speak with Aoshi. Perhaps you should track down Saito, Sanosuke."

"Hey, wait a minute," Inuyasha protested. "Why the hell should we go find these people anyway? We're looking for Naraku!" Miroku sighed inside the bokken before gave Yahiko a strange request.

_"Yahiko,"_ the monk said. _"Throw me at Inuyasha's head."_ A second later, a flying bokken banged against the stubborn hanyou's head. Inuyasha yelped and glared at Yahiko, but a zap of spiritual energy from Miroku turned his outrage on the monk.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled.

_"Inuyasha,"_ Miroku said calmly. _"Calm down. If our friends believe that these people can help us, I think we should seek them out. Besides, it's not as if we have any leads right now anyway." _Inuyasha gave a feh as he reluctantly agreed.

"Fine," he said. "Shippo, go with Sanosuke to find this Saito guy. I'll go with Yahiko, Miroku, Kenshin and Kaoru to find these..."

"Obiwaban," Kaoru said.

"Obiwaban," Inuyasha finished. He turned to the wolf youkai sitting across the table from him. "What about you wolf?" he asked. Kouga gave a feh before replying.

"I'll go with Shippo and Sanosuke. At least," he turned to smirk at the tall human, "At least as long as Rooster Head here can keep up with a couple of youkai." Sanosuke glared at him before smirking back in reply.

"I think I can manage that wolf, as long as you don't get in MY way," he said. Kouga laughed then. He appreciated anyone with a little backbone.

"Then it's agreed then," Kouga said. "Shippo, Sano, and I will go find this Saito guy. The rest of you will go after these Obiwaban people."

"Agreed," Inuyasha said. "Let's get going."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_Author's Note: I plan to do some fanart to go along with my story. I've got an unfinished website on geocities that I haven't had time to work on. However, if I do any artwork to go along with this story, I might post it on the site even if the rest of it is unfinished. If I do, I'll list the website if you want to see the pictures._

_One other thing, as someone has pointed out, I haven't focused very much on the POV of the RK characters lately, especially Kenshin. I'm hoping that now I've split them up, it will be a little easier to manage. I'm going to try to focus a little more on Kenshin in the next chapters._


	25. A Fox, A Rooster, and Two Wolves

_Author's Note: Since there's so much going on, I've split the following up into three chapters so that I can concentrate on one group per chapter._

**Chapter 25: A Fox, A Rooster, and Two Wolves**

"Why are we going to this Katsu guy again?" Kouga asked impatiently. Sanosuke shot the wolf an irritated look.

"Because I need to talk to him," Sano replied icily. This had been the third time that the wolf youkai had asked him that. Sano's already short patience was starting to wear thin.

"And I don't see why I have to wear this stupid human disguise," the wolf continued to complain. Finally having enough, Sanosuke unstrapped the Hiraikotsu from his back and swung it at the wolf.

"Because you have to!" Sano yelled. He was beginning to regret having gone alone with Kouga and Shippo.

"Sano's right Kouga," the kitsune finally said. "We can't exactly walk around as ourselve in the middle of Edo during broad daylight."

"Tokyo, not Edo," Sano corrected.

"And what the hell's up with that?" Kouga asked. "Why the hell did you mortals bother to change the name? It's still the same city." Sano gritted his teeth at the wolf, but Shippo prevented an arguement from brewing by quickly slipping a leaf over the wolf's mouth. The wolf glared darkly at the fox as he attempted to rip it off. When that failed, he resorted to punching the kitsune. Sano sighed to himself. At this rate, they'd NEVER get to Katsu, let alone find Saito.

The fox had used his fox magic to make Kouga appear to be human. However, he had failed to also dress him in human clothing. The wolf was still stalking around in his armor and fur kilt. Shippo himself had merely shapeshifted into a raven haired human version of himself. Both youkai would also still be openly wearing their swords if Sanosuke hadn't convinced them to hide their weapons.

"Mmmphf!" Kouga raged. People were staring to stare at the strange trio.

"Shippo, the leaf's drawing attention," Sano pointed out.

"Kouga's drawing attention WITHOUT the leaf." Kouga glared at the kitsune. Shippo sighed before snapping his fingers and causing the leaf to release its hold on the wolf.

"You mangy fox!" Kouga yelled. "I should..." _Sniff. Sniff._ "I smell food." Before Sano could react, the wolf zipped off to find the mysterious source of food. Moments later, he returned with two large handfuls of dark chocolate. Sano stared at him before daring to ask.

"Did you...pay for that?" As if on cue, faint shouts of "Thief" drifted in from the next street. Sanosuke muttered darkly as he glared at Kouga. The wolf merely ignored him as he happily shoved the stolen candy into his mouth and licked his lips.

"Finished?" Shippo asked dryly. Kouga licked his fingers in response and grinned.

"I haven't had chocolate since Kagome died. I can't wait until potato chips finally get invented."

"Come to think of it," Shippo mused. "I miss those lollipops she used to give me."

"And the cotton candy and ice cream," Kouga added.

"I miss those cupcake things," the fox said. Sanosuke suddenly couldn't take it anymore.

"SHUT UP!" he bellowed.

The two youkai blinked and looked over at the irate human. For a brief moment, they had forgotten about him in their daydreaming.

"Oh right," Kouga said. "We're supposed to find this Katsu guy aren't we?" Sanosuke made a passable imitation of Inuyasha's growl as he stalked off down the street.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Katsu stared at his three visitors in shock. The moment after their arrival, Kouga had proceeded to rip off the foxleaves disguising his pointed youkai ears. Shippo had sighed before shapeshifting back into his normal form.

The former fighter eyed the swishing fox tail and the furred animal feet on the other pointed eared stranger before raising an eyebrow at Sanosuke.

"They're youkai," Sano answered.

"Youkai?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yup. Look Katsu, I don't have time to explain. I'll tell you later. Right now I need to...borrow a few things."

"Borrow? As in bombs?

Kouga sniffed the air at that before walking over to a closet. He not so gently slid it open and a pile of Katsu's homemade weapons came tumbling out.

"I thought I smelled gunpowder," the wolf said. Sanosuke gaped at the pile before jabbing a finger at his long time friend.

"I thought you weren't going to make that much anymore!" he yelled.

"They're experimental ones!" Katsu protested. "Once I started, I couldn't stop!" Sano muttered _'Yeah right'_ under his breath before jabbing another finger at Shippo.

"Hey Fox, do us all a favor and don't use your foxfire in here," he suggested. The kitsune smirked as he sauntered over to join Kouga in inspecting the homemade bombs. Katsu watched them for a second before turning back to Sanosuke.

"So, what do you need?"

"Weapons, information...a little money," Sano said.

"You still haven't paid me back for the last time," Katsu pointed out.

"I will!" Sano promised. "Eventually." _Don't know how though._

"I won't hold my breath," Katsu muttered. He looked up as both youkai finally sat down next to him and Sanosuke. "What kind of information?" he asked finally.

"You have any idea where Saito is? He's not down at the police station." Katsu rubbed his chin as he sat a moment in deep thought.

"Word has it that an anti-government group was causing trouble this morning down in the east end. Some rag tag group that calls themselves the Avengers. I hear that one of their major members had connections to Shishio."

"Anyone to be worried about?" Sano asked in concern.

"Not really, I think your friend Saito's got it under control."

"That mangy dog's not my friend," he protested.

"Maybe not, but that's probably where he'll be." Katsu stood up and walked away before coming back a few moments later with some money.

"It's not much Bird Brain, so use it wisely. This time I expect to be paid back."

"Yeah, sure," Sano said. Katsu smirked at him.

"Get a job Sano."

"Shut up."

With that, Sanosuke, Shippo, and Kouga left to find Saito Hajime.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

An irritated Saito took a long puff of smoke from his cigarette as he glared down at the prisoner in front of him. Tagara Yokio had apparently been one of three financial backers for Shishio Mokoto.

Slay. Evil. Immediately.

Unfortunately the Shinsengumi motto didn't always work with police protocol. That didn't mean he had to play nice when interrogating him though.

Saito let out a long, deliberate cloud of smoke before he brought the burning edge of his cigarette down on Tagara's forehead.

"Speak," he ordered. Tagara smirked at him and spat in his face. Saito backhanded him.

Slay evil immediately.

The assistant police inspector calling himself Fujita Goro calmly picked the man up by his collar as he glared at him.

"You really don't want me angry," Saito said. Tagara continued to smirk at him.

"You're nothing compared to Naraku," he announced smugly. Saito raised an eyebrow.

"Naraku?" he asked. "And who is that?" Tagara clamped his mouth shut and refused to speak another word. Saito was considering just gutting the man to be done with it, but somehow he didn't think that would go over too well with the higher ups. Besides, he still needed information from him.

"Fujita," an officer said. Saito glanced over at him.

"What?"

"Ah...a Sagara Sanosuke is here to see you. And he has two companions with..." Two strange men, followed by an amused Sanosuke, were already bursting uninvitated through the open doorway before he could finish. The former Mibu wolf raised an eyebrow as he took another long puff of smoke. Strangely, both of Sanosuke's companions wrinkled up their noses and glared at the cigarette in his mouth.

"What the hell is that?" One of them asked. He was wearing a strange combination of armor and what looked like a kilt.

"It stinks like..." the other started.

"It's called tobacco," Sano answered impatiently. "Now would you two shut up?"

"Which one's Saito?"

"I'd say probably the one glaring at us Kouga," one said.

"Would you take that damn thing out of your mouth?" the one identified as 'Kouga' commanded. "What the hell is it with you stupid mortals putting poison in your mouths..." A pair of hands clamped over the man's mouth.

"Stupid mortals?" Saito asked dryly. "Tell me Rooster, who are these...upstanding gentlemen that have tagged along with you? Where is the Battousai?"

Sano was busy glaring at him when the two youkai at his side suddenly stiffened. He whipped his head around to stare at them.

"What?" he asked warily. Two two youkai ignored him as they stalked up a bound man sitting in a chair. Kouga bent down and sniffed the man before looking at Shippo.

"Smell that Fox?" he asked. Shippo sniffed once and nodded.

"He faintly smells like the youkai we killed at the Kamiya dojo. This guy's definately human, but something about him reminds me of the youkai."

"Yeah," Kouga agreed. "I caught the same scent when the shrine was attacked. The stink of gunpowder covered up most of the scents, but I do recognize it."

"Smell what?" Sano asked. "How can he smell like those other youkai?" Saito, who had been listening, finally stepped in front of Sanosuke.

"What the hell's going on fool?" he asked. Saito couldn't help noticing that Tagara was now regarding the two strangers with something close to fear. The two humans heard a sudden pair of growls behind them and they whirled around to stare at Kouga and Shippo. The two youkai had ripped open Tagara's shirt to reveal a spider mark on his chest.

"Naraku," Kouga spat. Saito's eyebrows shot up at the name. That had been the very name Tagara had mentioned only minutes before.

Tagara swallowed a sudden lump of fear in his throat as he stared up at the glowering duo in front of him.

"You...you're youkai..." he sputtered. Kouga growled at him.

"Where's your master mortal? I didn't know that Naraku had suddenly come into the habit of employing humans."

"I can't say," Tagara said.

"And why not?" Shippo growled menacingly.

"Because he won't let me," he answered simply. Kouga was on the verge of slaying him when the kitsune stopped him.

"Remember your promise to Kagome," he murmured. "Whatever he is, he's still a human."

"So were the Band of Seven," Kouga muttered back. Even so, he back off. However, he couldn't resist smashing the table next to him in anger. Saito turned to regard the younger man at his side.

"Care to explain?" he asked sarcastically. Sanosuke glared at him before finally agreeing.

"Yeah, but we need to talk in private."

Saito looked over at the young officer still standing in the doorway. He dropped his the butt of his cigarette on the floor and squashed it before leading Sanosuke and his companions into a back room. As soon as they were alone, Shippo and Kouga dropped the disguises.

The former Mibu wolf stared silently at clearly non-human features on their faces before crossing his arms.

"Explain."

With a sigh, Sanosuke launched into a brief explanation. The full length would require a little more time. Even so, Saito still got the general idea. After awhile, he finally agreed that this needed to be looked into.

"I'm in," Saito agreed. "Let's go interrogate our prisoner." However, on their way back to the front room, they met with an unexpected problem.

"Fujita! The prisoner! He's..."

Saito sprinted into the room, followed closely by the others. They stared in shock at the now dead Tagara Yokio. For whatever reason it was, his body suddenly decided to decay. In a matter of seconds, the flesh had already sunk into the bones.

"Apparently Naraku had other ideas," Shippo said. Saito cursed and kicked the wall. Damn. He finally turned to the horrified young police officer in the room.

"Yara, get some people to clean this mess up," he commanded.

"I'd be careful," Kouga suggested. "You might be better off not even touching it." He looked over at Shippo and the kitsune nodded.

"I'll take care of it." Shippo eyed the young man still in the room and Saito ordered him to leave. As soon as the officer left, the kitsune ignited the corpse with his foxfire and burned it down to ashes.

The four men stared at each other a long time before Saito finally pulled out another cigarette.

"Apparently I'll be going with you after all," Saito said. He lit the stick of tobacco, causing a look of distaste from the two youkai.

"Feh," Kouga growled.

"Want a smoke?" Saito asked dryly.

"Go to hell."

Sano ignored the two of them as he surveyed their little group.

"A fox and two wolves," he murmured.

"Two wolves?" Kouga asked.

Saito ignored him as he stuck his now lit cigarette into his mouth and inhaled the smoky substance. Then he blew out a slow cloud of smoke as he answered.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked Sanosuke.

"What?"

"Wolves and foxes eat roosters."

"SHUT UP!"


	26. The Kyoto Trail

_Author's Note: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I was out of state for a week when I went up to my friend's wedding and fall semester started this week. I'll try to update when I can, but I've got a full load. If I don't update once a week, I'll update once every two weeks. However, it's my goal to get a new chapter up every week._

_It is also my goal to be done with this story by either Thanksgiving or Christmas vacation._

_Anyway, back to the story. I salute all you college students out there. Many a caffeine filled night awaits us in the coming weeks of midterms, pop tests and cranky professors._

_Inuyasha: Feh, who needs college?_

_Kagome: Inuyasha!_

_Sesshoumaru: Yes, I suppose you are a prime example of someone who doesn't need college._

_Inuyasha: Yeah I...wait a sec...are you mocking me?_

_Sesshoumaru: What to you think Delinquent?_

_Kenshin: Oro? (Kenshin's thought- Perhaps Sanosuke needs this college, that he does.)_

_Sanosuke: Hey!_

**Chapter 26: The Kyoto Trail**

Kenshin silently stared at his reflection in the murky waters of a nearby stream. The red youkai marks on his cheeks were still present. Not only on his arms in fact, but as Kenshin had discovered, similiar markings were also on his arms and legs.

He wasn't sure what to think about that.

"Kenshin? Are you alright?" Kaoru asked in concern. Kenshin immediately stood up and flashed the woman an innocent smile.

"This one is fine, that he is," he answered. Truthfully though, he wasn't. He remembered little from when Sesshoumaru had taken control of his body, and it frightened him. In fact, every since the other night, his body felt...strange.

His hearing seemed better, his eyes more acute, and his smell...

It was as if he had regained his sight after being blind. The new influx of sensations had nearly overpowered his mind in the beginning, but now he'd gotten used to it. Now it seemed...familiar.

And that thought made him even more uneasy.

"Are you sure Kenshin?" Yahiko asked. "You've been kinda distant since we left Tokyo."

_"Yes, indeed,"_ Miroku said. _"However I suppose it's not unexpected."_ Kenshin waved the two off.

"This one is fine, that he is. Perhaps we should continue on to Kyoto. Inuyasha seems anxious to be off, that he does."

Inuyasha stared silently at him for a moment before turning and continuing on through the forest. Kenshin sighed inwardly as they trailed after the hanyou. Truthfully, the hanyou lord had been mostly silent throughout the trip as well.

What did Inuyasha think of him? Really? Kenshin knew it shouldn't really matter, but for some reason it was important to him. Did he see his brother when he looked at him? If so, did he hate him? The youkai marks seemed to burn his skin as he stared after the silver haired man.

All those years, was the Battousai really just Sesshoumaru? If so...what did that make him? Was he human? Or was he a youkai? Or...was he a hanyou like Inuyasha? Kenshin had no idea. He wished that there was someone to give him the answers he needed.

Kenshin wished desperately that he could talk to his sensei.

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"Like this Miroku?"

_"Not quite Yahiko, but almost. Focus your mind inward. Your heart must have no conflict in it's soul."_

Kenshin and Kaoru watched the duo curiously as Inuyasha impatiently tapped his foot. The four had stopped at nightfall to rest briefly. Had it just been Inuyasha or Kenshin, then the two would have continued on through the night.

"Wow! Hey! I got it!" Yahiko cried. Then his face dropped in disappointment. Miroku chuckled within the confines of the bokken.

_"Actually you are doing very well,"_ Miroku said. _"These are only just the most basic techniques, but some monks struggle weeks to even get this far." _Yahiko beamed at that. The dead monk had been using the journey as an opportunity to teach Yahiko to control some of his spiritual power.

"Hmmph," Inuyasha muttered.

_"Just ignore him,"_ Miroku said. _"Your ancestor has never been one for patience."_

"Shut up Miroku, at least I never went around grabbing women's butts," the hanyou retorted with a glare. "Some pious monk you are."

_"Ah, but I did manage to capture my dear Sango's heart, didn't I?"_

"Feh, don't ask me how."

Kaoru and Kenshin chuckled at the arguing duo. The two friends had been bantering like this most of the trip so far.

_"Sigh. How many times do I have to explain it Inuyasha? It was my radiant charm."_

"Tch, radiant charm. Right," the hanyou answered. They continued to argue back and forth until the conversation suddenly turned to Kenshin and Kaoru.

"So, how exactly did the two of you get together?" Inuyasha suddenly asked bluntly. Kaoru blushed madly as Kenshin gave a start.

"Oro?" he asked.

_"Have you two kissed yet?"_ Miroku asked.

"ORO?"

"I doubt they have Miroku. Shippo said they haven't claimed each other as mates yet."

**"ORO?"**

A laughing Yahiko had already fallen on his back as a stammering Kenshin rushed to explain. The young boy snickered uncontrollably as an embarrassed Kaoru began to yell at a bemused Inuyasha. Maybe this would finally get them to admit their feelings for each other.

"Oh shut up!" Inuyasha finally yelled. "I can smell it all over the two of you! Just admit it already!"

_"I think what Inuyasha means is that the two of you are obviously in love. I'm in agreement with him when he says that you should drop all the pretenses."_

"Oro!"

Yahiko snickered again. This was going to be an interesting night.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"Are we almost there yet?" Inuyasha asked for the hundredth time. Kaoru glared icily at him.

"No, we're NOT!" she yelled.

"Feh, I could have been there by now!" the hanyou complained.

"Well excuse me for being mortal!" Kaoru yelled. Kenshin decided that perhaps it was safer to be far in the front.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

_"Just listen to me Kenshin,"_ Miroku explained. _"Just tell her how you feel."_ Kenshin sighed tiredly. He was walking up front with Miroku tucked into his sash.

"And just how do you suppose that this one does that?" Kenshin finally asked warily. Inuyasha and Miroku had both been on his and Kaoru's case since last night. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

_"Ask her to bear your children,"_ Miroku offered helpfully. Kenshin glanced down at the dead monk in disbelief.

"Oro?"

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"Would you stop badgering me Inuyasha?" Kaoru huffed. The hanyou sniffed as he crossed his arms irritantly.

"Feh, fine."

The two walked in silence as they watched the others in front of them. Kenshin and Miroku were in the lead, followed closely by Yahiko.

"I know what it's like," Inuyasha finally admitted quietly. Kaoru gave him a surprised look. What had caused this change in tone?

"You know what what's like?" she asked. Inuyasha didn't answer right away. Kaoru gave him a curious look, but the hanyou lord had a faraway look in his golden eyes.

"We're not too different, are we?" Inuyasha finally asked. Kaoru gave him another surprised look.

"Different?" she asked.

"Yeah. My friends always said I was blunt, but that's just because I go straight to the point and don't bother wasting any time getting there. If something needs to be done, I do it." Kaoru nodded her head at that. It did sound like her.

"You're like that too," the hanyou continued. "We both see things in black and white."

"You sound like Yahiko," Kaoru pointed out. Inuyasha smirked at that, before growing serious again.

"Kaoru. You and Kenshin need to tell each other the truth. I know you both sense it, but..." Inuyasha paused as he took a hold of Kaoru's shoulders.

"Inuyasha?"

"Look, Kagome and I wasted time because we were exactly like you and Kenshin. For the longest time, we couldn't admit to each other that we were in love." A pair of intense golden eyes filled her vision until she sighed and closed her eyes.

"Inuyasha...Kenshin knows how I feel. Maybe I haven't said it in words, but he knows," Kaoru explained. "When we're ready, we'll say it."

Inuyasha stared at her for a long moment before nodding. He wasn't very good at expressing his feelings, but he did care about his new friends. Even Kenshin.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

The old man sniffed a lotus blossom as he listened to a symphony of nearby cicadas. He stretched his back before draining the last of his sake. A sliver of the moon lit up the night sky. The rootops of a sleeping Kyoto lay spread out from his view on top of the inn.

A movement drew his attention to the front street as two of his Obiwaban stepped out of the shadows, followed closely by a strange quartet. Three of them he already knew.

Okina stared curiously at the fourth member of Himura Kenshin's party. The man appeared young, despite the presence of long, silver hair that seemed to shine like brightly in the moonlight. The man's eyes turned up to regard Okina, golden orbs that seemed to burn in the growin darkness.

"Okina! It's Kenshin!"

Okina nodded absentmindedly to the young Obiwaban. Of course it was. He studied the party as they came more into the light. It was then that the old man noticed the dog ears on top of the man's head.

A youkai?

"Kenshin!" Okina called out in greeting. "All of you, please come in!"

This ought to be interesting.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

_"Thank you again for your hospitality, Mr. Okina,"_ Miroku said. Okina stared at the wooden bokken. He'd nearly jumped out of his skin when the dead monk had first spoken.

"Yes, yes," he said. "It is nothing." Okina turned his eyes to regard the hanyou in front of him. _Half human, not a full youkai after all._

"Inuyasha," he murmured. The hanyou's ears perked up at the mention of his name.

"What old man?" he demanded. Okina stared thoughtfully at him and the hanyou's ears gave an agitated twitch.

"You have a staring problem?" Inuyasha barked.

"I'm sure Okina means no offense, that he doesn't," Kenshin said quickly. Inuyasha grunted. Okina stared thoughtfully into the distance. Kenshin and Kaoru had related some of the story, but as the old man could tell, clearly not all. He stared momentarily at the youkai marks on Kenshin's face before explaining himself.

"According to a strange man I met recently, several top ranking Meiji officials are supposed to be youkai in disguise. He told me that they report to another youkai named Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's gaze narrowed at that as the others looked at Okina in surprise.

"Who would this strange man be?" Kenshin asked quietly.

"He called himself Harata Gojin. He says he serves a man named Onigumo Naraku." Inuyasha' back and ears stiffened. Okina felt a sudden sense of alarm grow inside him as he continued.

"We rescued him and a young girl, Onigumo Kaia, he said she was his master's child. We rescued them from an attacking group of youkai."

Kenshin stared at Okina. A sudden chill had descended upon the group. The swordsman felt a strange hardening inside him as he calmly regarded Okina.

"Where have they gone?" he asked quietly. Four pairs of eyes turned to stare at him. Unknown to Kenshin, the blue crescent moon had returned to his forehead. His eyes, however, had not yet changed to amber.

"They left," Okina answered warily. He watched with cautious fascination as Kenshin's eyes briefly glinted gold. "Aoshi and Misao went with them."

Inuyasha stood up abruptly.

"Where?" he asked bluntly.

"Kurashiki," Okina answered. Inuyasha nodded once as he began to head out the door.

_"Inuyasha! Wait!"_ Miroku called out.

"Why?" Kaoru asked. "We have to help Aoshi and Misao!" Yahiko nodded his head in agreement. Miroku sighed and muttered something about impatient youth.

"Inuyasha," Kenshin said. The hanyou turned around. A pair of golden eyes met his and Inuyasha realized that Sesshoumaru was near the surface.

"We need to move quickly," Kenshin continued. "The two of us can move faster."

"But..." Yahiko started to protest. Inuyasha silenced the boy with a glare before turning to Miroku.

"He's right. The two of us will go on ahead. The three of you follow behind," he ordered.

"I'm not being left behind!" Kaoru protested.

_"You're not,"_ Miroku said. _"But Kenshin and Inuyasha are correct. Speed is of the essence. We will follow behind. I'm sure Okina has horses we can borrow."_ Okina nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes, I'll fetch them at once. However, the rest of you should eat before..." Inuyasha and Kenshin were already out the door before Okina could finish. Okina sighed before looking at the remaining three.

"The two of you should eat," he instructed Kaoru and Yahiko. "And perhaps you can explain a bit more of the situation to me." Kaoru nodded her head as Yahiko stared crossly after Inuyasha and Kenshin.

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Kenshin and Inuyasha sped quickly south from the Aoi-ya. The two kept pace as they dashed through the streets of Kyoto and came out into the country side.

"Hey Kenshin," Inuyasha called out. "Any idea of why Naraku would want this Aoshi guy?" Kenshin shook his head as he ran.

"No, I don't," Kenshin called back, unconsiously referring to himself in first person. "Aoshi is nearly my equal in battle, we've fought before in the past. Perhaps he wants Aoshi and Misao in order to lure me to Kurashiki."

"Either that or maybe he wants to force Aoshi to fight for him," Inuyasha said. The two glanced at each other before picking up the pace. Neither thought was very pleasant.

The two men raced desperately towards Kurashiki, each hoping that they weren't too late.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

_Author's note: The next chapter will future Aoshi, Misao, Kagomi, Sango and Naraku._


	27. Saving Aoshi, Part I

**Chapter 27: Saving Aoshi, Part I**

Misao stared around her with unfeigned curiousity. She, Aoshi, and Gojin had arrived at Kurashiki nearly an hour ago. Aoshi had quietly burned the child's body upon their arrival. Despite the usual impassiveness of his features, the young woman knew that the girl's death was deeply troubling him.

"Where are you taking us?" Aoshi asked with his usual icy calmness. "I was under the impression that your master's home was in Kurashiki."

"It lies just east of the city," Gojin answered. The disguised snake youkai would say no more, so the humans followed warily behind.

Despite the sharp tension, Misao looked around her with wide eyed fascination. Tiny winding streets wove their way through out the ancient walled city, with the occasional willow lined canal dotting the cityscape. Occasionally, the trio would pass an old wooden rice granary as they made their way out of the city.

Every so often Misao would catch Gojin looking back at them. His darting, almost reptilian eyes unnerved her.

"What?" she asked hotly. The man raised an amused eyebrow before staring ahead silently. This only served to further agitate the young woman.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" she yelled.

No response.

"Hey..."

"Misao," Aoshi said finally. "Enough." The young Obiwaban glared at her companion and reluctantly complied. She suddenly decided that she really didn't like Gojin. In fact, something about him made her skin crawl.

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Aoshi narrowed his eyes as they approached an aged stone castle. For the supposed prestige of the lord, the land seemed unusually devoid of people. The castle itself also stood alone atop a rocky, steep hill. A muddy creek crisscrossed its way across the land, underneath the castle hill.

"Where is everyone?" Misao asked impatiently. Aoshi silently agreed with her. It looked like an ordinary castle, but it felt strangely foreboding.

He caught himself reaching for his kodachi and stopped. Aoshi noticed Gojin eyeing him silently. The swordsman straightened and motioned for the other man to continue.

Aoshi carefully noted every detail as they followed the man through the castle. Great European tapestries lined the old stone walls. Old feudal armor lined one wide corridor. Strange tall mirrors down another.

Gojin silently pushed open two great oaken doors. Aoshi briefly eyed two heavy chains, one on each side of the door. A giant empty metal collar lay open on each end. _Leashes?_

"What are those for?" he heard Misao ask. Gojin paused before answering.

"They are for Lord Naraku's pets."

Pets? Judging by the weight and size of the leashes, even Aoshi wasn't sure if he wanted to meet these 'pets'.

The trio continued on into a great hall. Straight ahead of them, atop of a tall dais, sat a raven haired man dressed in Western clothing. Sharp reddish brown eyes studied them intently from across the room.

So this was Onigumo Naraku. Curious.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"This is weird Sango."

_"I agree Kagome. It looks like as though Naraku has hidden all of his youkai."_

"Yeah, but why?"

_"Aoshi doesn't know who Naraku is yet. Scores of youkai around the castle would only give it away."_

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

The two companions had been able to make their way to the creek without being noticed. Kagome had swum up to the base of the castle and was now crouched underneath one of the outer walls.

"How do you think we should do this Sango?"

_"How would Inuyasha do it?"_ the dead slayer asked.

"Inuyasha would have been spotted by now," Kagome said dryly. "He'd have yelled for Naraku to come out and face him like a man."

_"Good point."_

Kagome peered around the corner before taking a breath and stepping out. They did have one thing in their favor. Since Naraku had pulled all of his youkai back out of sight, there was a less chance of them being spotted.

"I hope where not too late," Kagome whispered.

_"As do I."_

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"Would you like some tea Mr. Shinomori?"

Aoshi's hand paused as he automatically reached for the offered cup. Naraku's eyes focused intently on him for the briefest second before he chuckled lightly.

"I can assure you, it is not poisoned," Naraku assured him.

"Of course not," Aoshi said quietly, with just a hint of warning. His host's eyes narrowed a fraction before a smirk rose across his lips. He watched as Naraku took a sip of the tea before setting down his cup and clasping his hands business-like in front of him.

"Why would I wish to kill the man that I desire to request aid from?"

"Aid?" Aoshi looked at him suspiciously. He didn't like the sudden dark glint in the other man's eyes.

"I'm sure that Gojin has told you of our...enemies?" Naraku asked smoothly.

"Some, not all."

"I see. Has he told you that these youkai are able to pose as humans?" Naraku didn't even wait for the curt nod as he continued. "I believe that your experience with my...'daughter' should be proof enough for you. These creatures had no morals, they seek only destruction and massacre."

Aoshi's jaw tightened at the mention of Kaia. Had she really been a fake the entire time? It would be easier to believe, but...

He still had his doubts. Those tears had been real.

"Gojin said that they report to a youkai name Inuyasha," he said instead. Naraku calmly took another sip of tea before he chose to answer.

"Indeed. Inuyasha has been quite the thorn in my side. He and his brother Sesshoumaru are powerful youkai lords from the west. They both despise us humans. Nothing would delight them more than the death of every mortal." Misao gave a slight gasp at that, but Aoshi said nothing.

"What exactly do you want from me?" he finally asked. Naraku chuckled at that before suddenly standing up.

"Come, Mr. Shinomori," he said. "There is something I wish to show to you."

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"How are we going to get in?" Kagome wondered quietly aloud. Sentries had immediately appeared around in various defensive after Aoshi and his companion disappeared inside. The dead priestess was very much regretting the fact that she didn't have a good bow and a set of arrows. Sango, on the other hand, was regretting the fact that she no longer had a body.

_"Most fortified places have a secret entrance or escape. Seeing as Naraku controls this, he must have more than one way in."_

"How do we find it?"

_"Search hard, fast, and pray for luck."_

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"I don't know if I trust him Aoshi," Misao whispered. Aoshi gave a very slight nod in agreement. Never the less, what Naraku claimed needed to be looked in to. If there was any truth to it, then he might be forced to swallow his pride and contact Himura Kenshin. This could very well turn out to be a much bigger problem than he thought.

He had no idea.

"May I be so bold as to pose a personal question Mr. Shinomori?" Naraku asked. The man had paused in front of what appeared to be a blank wall. Aoshi was on the verge of saying no, but he gave his head a slight nod. Naraku smirked slightly at that.

"I hear that you have fought in the past with Himura Kenshin. If I may ask, what were the outcomes of those battles?"

"If you know about them, I should think you already know the answers to that," Aoshi replied curtly.

"True. But what if I told you that Mr. Himura is not all that he appears?" Aoshi cocked an eyebrow at that as Naraku pressed a hidden lever in the wall, causing part of it to slide open.

"What do you mean by that?" Misao asked suspiciously. "What's Kenshin got to do with this?" Naraku gave a cryptic smile as he stepped through the revealed doorway.

"You'll see," he said.

"I'll see what?" Misao demanded. Naraku only smiled again in reply.

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Kagome was about to give up hope on the search when she felt a trace of youkai aura near a cluster of rocks.

"Sango?" she questioned.

_"I think this is it,"_ Sango said. _"The rocks must be covering up the entrance._" Kagome gritted her teeth in determination and began to clear away the rubble.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Aoshi's first indication that something was amiss was the nauseous smell that suddenly permeated the dim corridor. The second indication was when a hoarde of strange wasp-like insects came pouring out of hidden holes in the walls.

"Aoshi!" Misao yelled. Aoshi swore under his breath. What the hell were these things?

"I wouldn't trouble yourself with them," Naraku said serenly. "They are quite poisonous to humans." Aoshi stared at him as realization suddenly sank in. This was a trap, one that he'd walked right into.

As had Misao.

"You bastard!" Misao yelled. A pair of shuriken appeared in her hands as Aoshi whipped out his kodachi. He swung his blade at the now laughing Naraku as several shuriken also hit him. Sliced pieces of western clothing hit the floor, but that was all. Naraku had vanished.

Aoshi swore again as they became surrounded by the strange poisonous insects.

"Naraku!" he yelled. They heard Naraku's chuckling voice echoing sharply on down the corridor. The mass of insects parted on their right to create a pathway.

"We can't go there," Misao objected. "It's obviously a trap."

"We don't have a choice Misao. At least we now know it's one."

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

_"Hurry Kagome!"_ Sango urged. _"I don't think we have time for secrecy anymore. I can feel it."_

Kagome wiped a smudge of dirt from her face as she quickly agreed. The dead priestess placed her hands on the remaining stones and focused her spiritual energy into them.

The ground caved in from the force of the explosion.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Aoshi faintly felt the ground shudder as he and Misao emerged into an open room. The smell was much stronger here. The swordsman was looking around for Naraku when he heard Misao give a piercing shriek. He looked quickly at her, but the pale faced young woman wordlessly pointed a shaking finger in front of them. Aoshi warily turned around.

It took all of his self control not to drop his weapon.

Quivering in the middle of the room, hanging from the ceiling, was a carriage sized mass of...something. It was a sickly pale yellow, almost white. Feathery spiderwebs crisscrossed the whole room, starting with the strange ball. Yellow mucus dripped from the strange cacoon and the surrounding ceiling.

There were spiders everywhere. Large ones, small ones, all of them a strange purplish-brown color. They were centered around what now Aoshi had come to realize was a giant egg sac.

For the first time in his life, Aoshi felt the faintest touch of panic.

"How do you like my pets Mr. Shinomori?"

Aoshi and Misao whipped around to see a smirking Naraku and a strange, withered old woman. The swordsman glared dangerously at the raven haired man.

"Why?" he finally asked.

"You're going to help me kill Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru," Naraku answered. "Although you probably know Inuyasha's brother better as Himura Kenshin." _Kenshin?_

"If you wish to live Naraku, I suggest you let us go free," Aoshi threatened. Naraku merely smiled as he pointed up. Aoshi slowly turned his face upward to an even more horrifying sight.

Hundreds of glowing red eyes stared down at him. A single, gigantic spider was perched on the ceiling.

He distantly heard a thud as Misao's knees gave out from under her. Aoshi himself resisted the intense urge to vomit.

"You see," he heard Naraku whisper. "You have no choice but to submit."

Aoshi gathered up the remains of his inner strength as drew forth his other kodachi. He stood protectively in front of the dazed Misao, conscious of the buzzing insects behind him. What ever it took, he'd make sure that at least she made it out alive.

Several whip-like objects emerged from Naraku's flesh and flew towards them. Aoshi managed to sever them before they made contact. However, he wasn't prepared for the swarm of spiders that came crawling his way.

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Kagome flung herself through an open doorway as a giant ax came hurdling at her. A split second later, the wall came crashing down at the youkai came after her. Damn it. She didn't have time for this.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"Aoshi," A horrified Misao whispered. The man that she loved and admired was now completely covered head to toe with a quivering mass of spiders. Naraku laughed as he saw the great Aoshi's eyes dilate in sudden fear. _Humans._

Naraku, followed closely by Binh, walked up to the frozen Aoshi. He found himself surprised as a challenging look now replaced the fear in Aoshi's eyes. Perhaps there was more to this human than he had thought.

He reached forward and ripped open the front of Aoshi's shirt, revealing the naked skin of his chest. Smiling triumphantly, Naraku placed a single spider on his chest. A horrified Aoshi grunted in pain as the creature dug itself down deep into his flesh.

Naraku let go of the human and called the remaining demonseeds off him. He watched as Aoshi's hands immediately flew to his chest. The youkai watched in amusement as the swordsman vainly tried to claw out the spider.

It was too late.

Aoshi gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. He wouldn't give Naraku that pleasure. However, the pain was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Even so, his vision blurred from the pain.

"I'm told that it's far more painful for humans than youkai," Naraku said. Aoshi lifted his head inch by inch until he was staring the other man boldly in the face.

"I will kill you," he warned. Naraku smiled as a spider mark blossomed across Aoshi's exposed chest.

"I doubt that. Now stand up. You belong to me now," Naraku ordered. A numb Aoshi found himself automatically obeying him. He seemed to have lost all freedom of movement.

Naraku studied him briefly before looking at the terrified young woman in the back. He briefly considered infecting her as well, but a better idea presented itself.

"Let the girl go," he ordered. Binh gave him a shocked look.

"My lord?" she questioned. Naraku's eyes narrowed as he backhanded the ancient hag.

"Don't ever question me wench," he growled. "Let the girl go free. In fact, make sure she escapes."

A stunned Misao could only stare at Aoshi. Aoshi, unable to even speak without permission, could only look at Naraku.

"I won't leave you!" she finally yelled. _Misao, _Aoshi wanted to yell. _Run!_ He watched as Naraku snapped a finger, causing another youkai to appear. The youkai bowed as it picked up the young woman and disappeared.

Naraku smirked darkly as he turned back to his new servant.

"Aoshi, you're first task will be to hunt down your friend and kill her."

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter, Saving Aoshi, Part II._


	28. Saving Aoshi, Part II

**Chapter 28: Saving Aoshi, Part II**

_"Your first task will be to hunt down your friend and kill her."_

Aoshi found himself running through the castle, powerless to stop himself. He despaired with each step that took him closer to Misao. Even though he had no idea where the girl had gone, he knew it didn't matter. Naraku had ordered him to kill her. So he would.

He heard Naraku laughing in his mind. Not only had the demonseed taken away his freedom of movement, but it also apparently allowed the youkai to speak directly into his mind. It was as if the spider had created some invisible link between he and Naraku.

A numb Aoshi dimly heard the soft chirping of cicadas as he lept out of a tall window. His eyes were focused straight ahead on a tiny speck in the distance. The large youkai had apparently dumped Misao off near a small forest.

_"Kill the wench."_ Damn, Naraku was speaking to him again.

I won't! he wanted to yell. Soft chuckles echoed in his mind as Naraku replied.

_"You don't have a choice."_

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

_"Oh no! Kagome! Something's wrong!"_

"Something's already wrong Sango!"

Shouts of 'Kill the intruder!' echoed down the corridor as they raced down it.

Kagome wished more than ever that she had a good bow. The whole castle had become alerted to their presence. Every turn she took seemed to bring her face to face with another angry youkai.

_"I think it has to do with Aoshi! We have to find him!"_

"I'm trying Sango!" Kagome yelled. Dammit. She really needed a weapon! Something...anything! The dead priestess nearly skidded to a halt as she passed an armory. Without stopping to hesitate, she dove into the room.

Which was also unfortunately inhabitated by several youkai.

As her eyes darted around the room, they fell upon a familiar and welcome site. She smiled happily as she eyed several sets of bows and arrows on the far side of the room.

"Something good just happened Sango," she said.

_"Yes, I see."_

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Naraku chuckled darkly as looked up at the giant spider on the ceiling. The female spider was his only surviving incarnation, having survived the past three centuries without being discovered by Inuyasha and his pitiful friends.

"Come down Sabra," he ordered. Sabra's fangs twitched wordlessly before she dropped down onto the hard floor. Naraku smirked as he reached out a hand and petted the grotesque head of his creature.

"Father perzzon givezz Sabra warm meatzz yesss yessss?" The spider asked hopefully.

"Soon Sabra dear, very soon. I may even let you feast on the flesh of a pesky hanyou. But for now, tend to your children."

"Yessssss father perzzon, yesss yesss."

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Misao sat down heavily. She knew that Aoshi was following her, but he wouldn't really hurt her. would he? A strong sob suddenly choked her and she fought the urge to lay down and cry. Why? Why? Why did this have to happen?

The young Obiwaban staggered to her feet as she stared at the white trenchcoat in the distance. Her teeth gritted together in determination as she balled her fists. She would help Aoshi, she had to! She had to get through to him!

Even if it killed her.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

_Misao, what are you doing? Run!_ Aoshi threw all of his willpower against the creature in his chest, but to no avail. He could feel it inside of him, twitching and squirming. Worse even was the ever present voice of Naraku.

_"She means to help you,"_ he heard Naraku whisper. _"Foolish child."_ Aoshi strained again at the spider, but Naraku only laughed at him.

_"Foolish mortal, there is nothing you can do. You belong to me."_

_I don't belong to anyone!_ Aoshi silently yelled. He was only answered by fading laughter. How could he have been so stupid? He hadn't trusted Gojin from the start, so why had he followed him?

Aoshi knew why. It had been an innocent pair of a child's green eyes. Kaia. Aoshi's heart hurt deeply at the thought of her and he knew it wasn't the spider that was causing it. She had tried to warn him. She had tried to tell him about Naraku.

_"Bad people make me do bad things!"_ she had wailed. Kia. He understood now. Naraku had used her, like he was using him. She must have had one of those spiders inside of her. But that still didn't explain the demonic face on the other side of her head.

Naraku. He had used a child to bait him, but why? Why? What was he after? Whatever it was, Aoshi was sure of one thing. Naraku would die by his hand and his hand alone.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

The tables had turned on the many youkai in the castle. A now fully armed Kagome was racing through the castle with a good bow and two quivers full of arrows. Most of the youkai were now giving her a wider berth as she made her way within the castle. They had learned to be wary of her after the first few arrows had been fired.

_"I would think that there would be more resistance Kagome,"_ Sango remarked. Kagome was starting to agree when she saw a new figure emerge from the shadows. Wrinkled and dirty, this new youkai was none other than Binh, the sorceress that had resurrected her.

Kagome notched an arrow and pointed it at the dirty old hag. The ancient woman cackled in a dry, airy voice. Her yellowed teeth glistened menacingly at the dead priestess as she pressed her bony hands together.

"Escape, eh?" Binh cackled. "No escape for you, my dear, oh no."

"Where's Aoshi?" Kagome demanded.

"Gone, yes, gone. He's off to kill the ninja girl, just like Naraku ordered him. You won't catch him though. He's far outside the castle walls." What? That meant, that meant that it was too late. NO. Kagome refused to let it be. She could still help him...them. But she had to hurry.

_"Hurry and fire Kagome, before she casts a spell!"_ Sango cried. Kagome let loose the arrow just as the old crone launched a spiraling mass of dark energy at them. The two energies collided for a few tense seconds before Kagome's arrow finally purified the hag's magic.

The witch gave a high pitched shriek as the arrow dispelled the evil aura and pierced her heart. Her flesh rotted away to nothingness and her bones turned to dust. Soon, all that remained of Binh the sorceress was the faint ash on the castle floor.

Kagome and Sango raced past the dead hag, determined to catch up to Aoshi.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Naraku narrowed his eyes as he looked into a deep silver basin. He lightly touched the clear water and it reformed into another image. Useful, this mirror was. He had taken it from a water youkai a few months before he'd hidden himself inside Mount Hakurei. That had been before he died. He was surprised that it had survived the past three centuries.

He stared distastfully at the image in the water mirror. That damn wench. Binh had failed to stop the dead priestess and now Kagome was chasing after Aoshi. How had she known about him? It seemed as if Kagome had come back to his castle to retrieve the swordsman. No matter.

Aoshi and Misao were far ahead of her. She wouldn't reach them in time.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Misao balled her fists as she watched Aoshi begin to pick up speed. He couldn't be more than a quarter of a mile away now. The young woman resisted the urge to dash into the forest. No, she couldn't hide. Not from him.

The youkai who had dumped her here had told her what Naraku had done. Naraku had enslaved Aoshi and now he was going to use him to murder her. Somehow she had to help him break free.

"Aoshi!" she yelled desperately. "Snap out of it!" She received no response as the man continued relentlessly up the final stretch to her. In almost slow motion she watched him withdraw the twin kodachis from their sheath. Cold metal gleamed brightly in the late afternoon sun as he quickly approached her.

"Aoshi!" she yelled again.

Aoshi bounded silently up to her and she stared wide eyed him. Her legs seemed to have frozen in place. He came closer, ever closer, and Misao began to panic. He was going to kill her! There was nothing she could do to stop him!

She watched as the tall swordsman raised his blades, only seconds from striking her down. The young woman watched in almost morbid fascination as they descended slowly upon her.

A flash of light blinded her and she heard Aoshi give a hiss as he jumped back. A sharp thunk reached her ears as a strange arrow settled deep into a nearby tree. Misao gaped at it before swiveling around to find her rescuer. It took her a moment before she saw a distant red and white figure running towards them.

_She made that shot from that distance?_ Misao saw the figure point at her and she ducked just in time to avoid a strike from Aoshi. The young woman suddenly found that her legs were working again and she leaped back as far as she could go.

Misao looked up to see Aoshi running at her again, but there was another bright flash of light. She heard another loud thunk and saw yet another arrow jutting out of the tree.

The young Obiwaban saw Aoshi pause at that and stare at the new intruder. The woman was closer now and Misao could see that she was actually a priestess. _What's a priestess doing way out here?_ Aoshi seemed to study the priestess cautiously before he turned back to her and smirked. Misao stared at him as he began to approach yet again.

Another arrow zoomed by and Aoshi growled. This time he turned to face the new intruder, apparently deciding to deal with her first. The wind whipped violently at his white trenchcoat and the tattered remains of his shirt. The violet spider mark on his chest glistened sickenly against his exposed flesh.

"Leave us be wench!" Aoshi yelled. Misao gave a start at that. It was his voice, but yet, she knew that it wasn't him speaking. The young woman gave another start as the strange priestess finally yelled back.

"No! I won't let you kill your friend!"

The woman was now closing the distance between them, notching another arrow onto her bow as she ran.

"Don't kill him!" Misao pleaded suddenly. "It's not his fault!"

"I'm not!" The woman yelled back. "But you need to get away from him before he hurts you!"

She saw Aoshi smirk at that before lunging at her. Misao didn't even see the attack. She gave a gasp as a blade pierced through her side. The young woman barely heard the priestess shriek 'NO!' as she stared down at the kodachi.

The other kodachi seemed to move down in slow motion towards her. Unexpectantly however, the priestess knocked the blade out Aoshi's hand with one of her arrows. Misao would later remember distantly admiring the accuracy of the strange woman's aim. Misao would also later wonder at why Aoshi's first strike hadn't pierced her heart. Aoshi never missed a target.

"Get away from her!" the woman yelled.

Misao gave a gasp as Aoshi pulled the short sword out of her. She slumped to the ground and cradled her side as she stared up at the man she dearly loved. The priestess was close now, just meters away.

"Leave her alone! I know you don't want to hurt her!" The woman had another arrow pointed another arrow at Aoshi. "My name's Kagome and I'm here to help! Look, I know what Naraku did to you! I can help!"

Misao grunted in pain as she attempted to stop the bleeding. Aoshi's face seemed riveted on the priestess. A fleeting expression of pain crossed his face and his sword hand shook slightly. Misao watched as his lips slowly parted, as if even that very small movement took a great deal of effort.

"I...please...stop...me...before...Naraku..." he pleaded.

Large pools of sweat slowly dripped down his face. The woman wasted no time in rushing to the struggling Aoshi. She quickly dropped her bow and pulled an arrow from one of her quivers.

"This may hurt a little," the priestess said. A strained look from Aoshi was her only anwswer as the priestess brought the point of her arrow to the spider mark on his chest.

"Hurry...can't...hold..."

There was a bright glow as Kagome pushed the arrow into Aoshi's chest. His arms twitched as the demonseed inside of him attempted to regain control.

"Oh no you don't," Kagome muttered angrily. The point of her arrow finally made contact with the hidden spider and it gave a shrill shriek from within Aoshi's body. The dead priestess very carefully pulled the arrow out of the man's body.

There was a slight bulge in Aoshi's chest as the dying spider crawled weakly out and fell to the ground. Kagome stabbed it once more with her arrow and it died in a final burst of light. She gave a huge sigh of relief as Aoshi fell weakly to his knees.

At least that part was over. She had managed to purify the demonseed in Aoshi's chest.

_"Kagome,"_ Sango said. _"I know they're both hurt, but we have to move. Naraku's sent out some of his youkai to hunt us down."_ Kagome looked back behind her to see that, indeed, there were several youkai heading their way.

"We have to get moving," Kagome ordered them. "I know you're both hurt, but we're all dead if we stay here." The two other humans struggled weakly to their feet. She noticed that Aoshi couldn't even bring himself to look at the other woman.

_He must feel so bad_, Kagome thought. _Poor guy. He would have killed her._ She realized that she had yet another reason to hate Naraku. Inuyasha and Kikyo, Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, Kouga...and now these two. How many people did he have to hurt? This time she would make sure that Naraku stayed dead.

"Come on," she ordered. "This way."

The ragged group stumbled off into the forest. Weakened, injured, and disorientated, none of them had any choice but to move forward.

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

_Next chapter:_

_We move back to Kouga, Shippo, Saito and Sano. Can these four hooligans accomplish their goal without killing each other? Their searching leads them closer to Naraku and they come across some unexpected help in the forms of three familiar little faces._


	29. The Three Trickster Sprites

**Chapter 29: The Three Trickster Sprites**

"Tell me again, WHY are we stomping around in the middle of the wilderness?" Sanosuke asked. The quartet had made their way northwest of Tokyo. Kouga and Shippo, who had been sniffing around the area, sat back on their haunches and glared over at Sanosuke. Saito calmly took a puff from his cigarette as he answered the younger man.

"I know it's hard for you to understand idiot, but we're tracking a youkai. Our two friends say that his smell is all over this forest."

The group had run into a small band of youkai on their way out of Tokyo. They had originally been heading to Kyoto, but were now instead trailing the one surviving youkai from their fight.

Sano and Saito watched as Kouga gingerly sniffed the air before making a face. The wolf growled softly to himself as he suddenly sprang up and stalked over to Saito.

"I can't take it anymore!" Kouga yelled. "That damn smoke stick of yours is stinking up the place!"

Saito glared back at the wolf. This wasn't the first complaint that he'd received from the two youkai. Shippo had already made a failed attempt to steal his cigarettes and plunge them into a river. The former Mibu wolf calmly took a deep inhale of smoke before blowing it back out at Kouga.

An irritated Kouga bared his fangs at Saito and Sano warily stepped between them. Normally he'd like to see the two of them fight, but right now he was impatient to keep moving. Besides, he was hungry and wanted to eat.

"Hey! You two can tear each other's throats out later!" Sano was beginning to wonder at the wisdom of his interferrence, but the other two men reluctantly back down. Kouga gave a feh as he turned back to Shippo.

"Find anything yet fox?" he asked.

The kitsune stared thoughtfully into the trees. Something about this area seemed very familiar. Could he have been here before?

It was possible. He'd traveled just about everywhere with Inuyasha and the others when they had been searching for Naraku the first time. So when had he been here? The fox sniffed the air once and realized that he smelled humans.

"Hey Kouga," he started to say. The wolf sniffed the air once before pointing off to his left. His sense of smell was far keener than Shippo's.

"Yeah, I smell it too. Looks like that there's a human village that way."

"Let's go there," Sano suggested. "Maybe they saw something."

"I doubt it," Saito said. "I don't know much about youkai, but I seriously doubt that one would go undisguised into a small human village." Sanosuke glared at him. He was trying to think of something witty to say when his stomach rumbled loudly. Shippo smirked slyly at that.

"Ha, so that's why he wants to go the village," he said.

Sanosuke grumbled at that. Could he help it if he was hungry?

"Pathetic," Saito muttered. Sano glared at him again.

"What'd you say?"

"I said..." the Mibu wolf started again. Shippo butt in between them before another arguement could brew.

"I think it's a good idea," the fox said calmly. "Even if they didn't see him, they might know if anything unusual has been going on." And maybe I can figure out why this place seems familiar.

Saito grunted at that as Sanosuke gave a victorious grin. Kouga muttered to himself as he reluctantly led the way to the village.

"Fine," the wolf growled. "But you'd better not take long. Got that rooster?" Sanosuke shot a glare at the wolf and Shippo shook his head. Was he the only sane one around here?

The small group had gone no more than a few steps when both Shippo and Kouga halted abruptly. Sanosuke opened his mouth to say something but the kitsune hushed him. Saito placed a hand on his sword hilt as he waited for an attack to come.

The attack did come. However, it wasn't what any of them were expecting.

Hundreds of flying acorns came hurdling out of the trees at them. Saito was wondering at the strangeness of this assault when he saw a sudden light of recognition flare into Shippo's eyes. The fox whipped out a leaf, which transformed into a large shield to protect them from the attack. Then he halted an irate Kouga before he could go charging at their hidden foe.

"Let me at them fox! They attacked us first!" Kouga protested. Shippo ignored him as he yelled out at the trees.

"Hey! It's me! Shippo! Remember?"

The flying acorns abruptly stopped and the quartet could hear loud whispers coming from within the trees. There appeared to be a heated arguement from their hidden attackers before a squeaky voice finally rang out from the shadows.

"No way! You're too big to be Shippo!"

The fox smirked at that before transforming into a younger version of himself. Then he hopped out into the open and stood there a few seconds before turning back into his adult form. There was another pause from within the trees before three small shapes dropped out from above.

"Shippo!"

"Shippo!"

"Shippo!"

Kouga groaned. Three little monkeys had now attached themselves to the fox. He had a feeling he knew who they were. Miroku had once told him the story, much to Inuyasha's infinite outrage.

"Feh, monkey sprites," he muttered. "You weaklings aren't even worth my time."

"Oh yeah," one taunted. "Well Inuyasha found us to be a formidable foe!"

"Yeah, a formidable foe!" the second second.

"Formidable!" the third echoed.

"Don't compare me with that mutt!" Kouga yelled. "I'm not as lame as that dog breath!"

"You sure about that," Shippo muttered.

"I heard that fox!"

Saito and Sano stared back and forth in surprise before Sanosuke began to laugh. Saito himself smirked as he puffed on his cigarette.

"You three hardly appear to be formidable to me," Saito commented dryly. The three little monkey sprites glared at him before one threw a rock at him. The former Mibu wolf calmly reached out and caught it.

"Please, a stone could hardly hurt..." he started.

"Umm, Saito? I think you should drop it..." Shippo started. The stone doubled in size.

"I guess it's too late now," Kouga smirked. The rock tripled in size.

"Yeah, probably."

Saito and Sanosuke gaped as the rock suddenly turned into a giant boulder. The former Mibu wolf nearly swallowed his cigarette as he fell flat on his face, hand still attached to the rock.

Sano's jaw dropped open as he stared at the giant boulder. The three little monkey sprites began to chatter excitedly as they hopped up on down on the rock. One made the mistake of jumping up and down on Saito's head.

The former Mibu wolf muttered incoherently as he reached up and grabbed it by the tail and brough it to his face.

"What did you do to me?" Saito growled. The little sprite stuck out his tongue at the enraged human.

"I'd let me go if you don't want a boulder on your other hand!" it yelled cheerfully. Saito scowled darkly as he dropped the sprite on it's head. He slowly stood up and tugged on his right hand, but it was stuck fast. _Of all the..._ He heard several snickers behind him and he turned to glare at his three companions.

"Shut up!" Saito yelled in outrage. The two youkai threw their heads began and began to laugh hysterically. Even Sanosuke joined in on it. Damn them all to hell.

"I'll kill you all!" Saito threatened.

"How are you going to do that with your sword hand stuck to a rock?" Kouga taunted. Saito unsheathed his sword with his left hand and waved it furiously at the wolf.

"Come here and find out!"

"Oh shut up Saito. You may be a great fighter for a mortal, but there's no way you're going to be able to drag that thing around!" the wolf smirked.

"Why don't you come over here and say that wolf?" Saito warned. Kouga smirked and jumped onto the boulder and sat down.

"Nice rock you got here human," he laughed. Saito swiped at the youkai with his blade, but Kouga nimbly lept out of the way. Then the wolf kicked the boulder and sent it and Saito rolling down the hill. Shippo sighed and shook his head as he turned to a laughing Sanosuke.

"You know Bird Head," the fox pointed out dryly. "That very easily could have been you."

"But it wasn't," Sano replied. The sounds of a cursing Saito drifted up the hill as Shippo gave another sigh. This was going to be another long day.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"The oldest trick in the youkai world and you fell for it," Shippo said. Saito muttered darkly before glaring icily at the fox.

"In case you haven't noticed fox, I'm a human," Saito pointed out sarcastically.

"Really? I thought you were supposed to be a wolf."

Saito glared hard at the fox, causing him to smirk. The first thing he had done once the monkey sprites had released him was to chase down Kouga. The wolf youkai had led him on a merry chase through the forest before Saito finally managed to trick him into coming back. Then he had landed a few good blows before pushing him down a steep hill.

"Of course he fell for it, he's a mortal!" one of the monkeys piped up.

"Yeah, a mortal!"

"A mortal!"

"That supposed to mean something?" Saito asked with icy calmness.

"Nope, just that humans are..." another started. Shippo raised an eyebrow.

"Except for Kagome, Miroku and Sango," the third assented.

"And the wolf's about as dumb as Inuyasha," another pointed out. Kouga whipped his head around to bellow at the trio of sprites.

"What'd you say?" he barked. The three little monkeys grinned mischieviously before they turned around and wriggled their rear ends at the irate wolf.

"Beware of evoking the wrath of the monkey god, the monkey god..." they sang.

"The monkey god!"

_Whack! Whack! Whack!_

Three little monkeys lay in a disorientated heap. An irritated Kouga turned to grin at Saito.

"You want roasted monkeys for dinner?" he asked. Saito gave the three sprites a thoughtful look. Shippo sighed, this was getting them no where.

"Where's your monkey god?" The kitsune finally asked. "I'd like to speak with him. It's very important."

It took the sprites a few moments before they regained their senses. Then they leaped up and puffed out their tiny chests proudly.

"Follow us, we'll lead you to the monkey god!"

"To the monkey god!"

"The monkey god!"

"The monkey who?" Sano asked.

"The monkey god," Saito answered dryly.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Namu peeked quickly around the corner. Good, no one was watching. The young fox hanyou quietly slipped through an open doorway and down the hall.

Everyone one else was busy, which was why he had chosen now to leave. Amaya and Akio were busy with their daughter and Jaken was moaning yet again about being left behind by Kenshin. Megumi was busy showing his sister some medicinal herbs and explaining their uses.

The young man slipped through another doorway. He wasn't going to be left behind to do nothing. Inuyasha was a hanyou, but everyone respected him because he was strong. Namu had made it a private goal to be as as great a warrior as Inuyasha. Then everyone would have to look up to him and respect him. Especially his father.

Namu halted in the shadows and listened silently. His fox ears twitched, but detected no sounds. The young hanyou hoisted a small bag over his shoulder and lept out of a window. He landed silently and sprinted out of sight.

Unknown to him, a hidden Kirara was watching him from a small ledge. She lept down off the stone wall and began to trail quietly after the determined young man.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"Hmmmm..."

Sanosuke stared curiously at the ancient spirit in front of them. This creature wasn't anything like the three little sprites. He was calm, quiet, wise...

Strange looking though.

Even Saito and Kouga seemed to have come to the same conclusions. The two wolves had been surprisingly respectful to him after their initial meeting. Shippo had spent some time explaining their situation to the old man, much of which he seemed to have already known. Or guessed.

"It is true," the monkey god admitted. "I have felt a dark shadow growing in my mind for some time. I sense that great evil is at work in both the human world and the youkai world. Something that indeed threatens us all."

"Do you know where Naraku's hiding?" Kouga asked, with barely contained impatience. The monkey god bowed his head in deep thought. The three little sprites looked anxiously at him, but he opened his eyes moments later.

"That remains hidden from me," the ancient spirit answered. "However, I do feel that it's presence lies most strongly to the southwest."

"Most strongly?" Shippo asked. "Then you feel his presence in other places too?"

"Yes, young fox, his taint stretches across the whole of all the islands." The other three gave a start at that.

"Monkey god," Saito finally said. "Are there humans working for Naraku?" There was a pause.

"Yes," the monkey god answered. "Though the ability to see them lies behind even my vision. However, I do not think that most of them do this willingly." Saito brought his hand to his chin in thought before looking at the others.

"You know Naraku better than I do," he said to the youkai. "Is it possible that he has spies in the government?"

"Oh yeah," Kouga answered. "Naraku has connections everywhere, that's how he works."

"He could even have youkai disguised as humans," Shippo pointed out quietly. "I'm a kitsune, I can change my form to whatever I'm want. Other youkai can do that too, not just foxes."

Saito's eyes narrowed at that. Sanosuke clenched his fists together as the full implications of that slowly dawned on him.

"Are you saying that Naraku could be pulling strings behind the government?" he asked.

"No one would be the wiser," Shippo said. "He could already have the whole government under his control."

"But how?" Sano protested. "He hasn't been back long enough for that..."

"Doesn't matter," Shippo answered. "Do you remember that green haired youkai witch, Raizel? She knew about Naraku, that's how he was able to be released. My guess is that he's had several followers waiting for his return, maybe even some incarnations that we didn't know about. If that's true, then this has been in the works for years. Possibly even centuries."

"But with Naraku behind the strings now..." Kouga muttered.

"Then the situation is dire," the fox agreed. "I'm sure that Naraku knows by now of the world that lies outside Japan. I doubt that he'll stop with this country if he gains control. He'll spread himself out into the other lands."

"That can't happen," Saito said. "I won't let him take this country."

"Then I say we get moving," Kouga decided. "We're not doing anything just sitting here."

"What about the youkai we were chasing?" Sano asked.

"Yeah, we can't just let him go," the wolf agreed. "I still owe him for that cut he gave me." He smacked his two fists together.

"You call that a cut?" Shippo asked dryly. It had barely been a scratch.

"Feh, doesn't matter, he still cut me," the wolf said stubbornly. "He's going to pay for that."

"If you are searching for a youkai," the monkey god said. "There was one heading that way." He pointed to the west. "He had an unkindly air about him. I fear for the humans that stand in his path."

"We'll stop him," Saito said and headed out the door.

"Wait," the ancient spirit called out. Saito paused and waited. "There is a faster way," the monkey god continued. "A short way. My sprites can show it to you."

"Right!" the three monkey sprites yelled.

"We can show you!"

"It's this way!"

"This way!"

"I guess that means no monkeys for dinner," Sano muttered. A trio of acorns smacked him in the head.

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Namu paused. Something wasn't right, he was being followed. The young fox hanyou slid into the shadows and waited.

Nothing.

He waited a few more minutes before venturing back out and continuing on his way.

Kirara waited a few minutes more before padding silently through the woods. She was determined to see that the young kit came to no harm.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Saito eyed the strange door curiously. The three, annoying little sprites had danced on ahead of them, leading them to a large, ancient tree. The three little monkeys had chanted some kind of spell in front of the tree. After a few minutes, delicate, glowing green lines had formed into the shape of a strange doorway on the tree trunk.

Their journey to the strange door had mostly been uneventful. Mostly. Kouga had twice more threatened to eat the little sprites and Sano had tricked by one of them into falling down a hole. Other than that though, everything had gone fine.

"Follow us!" One yelled.

"Yeah, follow us!" The second echoed.

"Follow us!" The third cried.

"Just hurry up before I eat you!" Kouga yelled. Saito smirked as the three sprites pelted the irate wolf with acorns. Shippo sighed, he seemed to have done a lot of that today, before stepping quickly after the three sprites. Sanosuke was the second one to go in.

"I'm not going in there," Kouga growled. Saito smirked and planted a foot into the wolf's back.

"Yes you are," he said. He then kicked Kouga through the doorway and stepped through.

Saito found himself emerging out from another tree, onto a grassy plain. The others were waiting for him. Kouga was lying face first on the ground. The wolf muttered darkly before jumping up and pointing an accusing finger at an amused Saito.

"You...you..." he sputtered. Then Kouga paused and sniffed the air. The wolf suddenly grinned toothfully and sprinted off to the distance.

"I found him!" Kouga yelled. The others watched as the wolf chased down a clearly terrified and surprised youkai. So much for that.

"Let's get going," Shippo sighed. He turned around and stopped in surprise. The three little sprites had disappeared. As had the doorway.

"What the...those wretches!" Shippo yelled. "I'm going to kill those monkeys!"

Saito shook his head as the fox began to curse the small sprites, his red tail swishing in agitation. Apparently even the kitsune could get annoyed. Not that he could blame him. All that Saito or any of the them knew was that they were west of where they had been before. No matter though. They'd find their way.

"I told you we should have listened to Kouga and eaten them, you stupid fox!" Sanosuke yelled.

Saito smirked to himself and lit a new cigarette. This whole venture was turning out to be rather interesting.


	30. Fight at Kurashiki Castle

**Chapter 30: Fight at Kurashiki Castle**

"There is a trail over here, that there is."

Inuyasha knelt next to Kenshin and studied the broken blades of grass. He sniffed once, twice, before looking up at the red haired human.

"I smell a youkai and two humans. They passed through here yesterday," he said. The hanyou saw Kenshin open his mouth and close it. The crescent moon was still present on his forehead, as were the red stripes on his cheeks. Inuyasha gave a feh and stood up. He easily towered over Kenshin.

"You smell it too though, don't you?" he asked. Kenshin stared at him a moment before he reluctantly nodded. Inuyasha wasn't surprised. If Sesshoumaru's youkai power had broken out enough that the youkai markings were visible, then why shouldn't Kenshin's normal human senses had increased as well?

It was almost as if Kenshin himself was a hanyou now. Inuyasha secretly thought of that as poetic justice for his dead brother.

"This one believes that the humans may have been Aoshi and Misao. This footprint here belongs to Misao, that it does." The two of them were currently standing outside the gates of Kurashiki. The two men turned and stared off into the distance.

"All right then," Inuyasha finally said. "Let's get going."

"Agreed."

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"How much longer Kaoru?" Yahiko asked. He, Kaoru, and Miroku were somewhere between Himeji and Okayama. Okina had lent them a pair of horses. The young boy was discovering that he really didn't care for horseback riding.

_"Patience, Yahiko,"_ Miroku said. _"As both a swordsman and a monk, you must have patience."_

"But I'm not a monk!"

_"True, you don't have the training. But never the less, you must stop acting like Inuyasha. That could be very dangerous for my health."_

Kaoru ignored them as she urged her bay horse on. She had to reach Kenshin. That was all that mattered right now. She hoped that he and Inuyasha were all right.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Kenshin and Inuyasha stared up at the castle before them. It loomed high on a steep hill, dark and foreboding.

"This one feels...a great evil..." Kenshin said.

"Feh, that's his youkai aura. This whole place reeks of Naraku."

Inuyasha growled darkly and charged straight toward the fortress. Kenshin sighed a moment before following after him. All of his hitokiri training was yelling at the stupidity of a frontal assault. Apparently the hanyou lord wasn't one for secrecy.

**"NARAKU! GET OUT HERE!"** Inuyasha bellowed.

Nope, definitely not one for secrecy. Kenshin felt the strange urge to club the hanyou over the head. He didn't know if that sensation was coming from him or Sesshoumaru. Perhaps it was just a natural tendency for anyone who was around the dog eared man.

"Inuyasha!" he yelled. This was foolish, he'd thought that the hanyou had more sense than this. The smell of Naraku had caused the blood to rush tothe other man's head. Inuyasha leapt up and swung his great sword at the castle. A large wave of energy shot out from it as he cut through the windscar around the fortress.

There was a large explosion as the force of it collided with the great youkai aura around the hill. Kenshin unconsciously muttered _'Stupid fool'_ under his breath as he chased after the hard head hanyou. Unknown to him, his eyes were now starting to glint a golden amber hue.

The two men both jumped back as a whirlwind appeared before them. The wind slowly died down to reveal a fearsome snake youkai. Both Kenshin and Inuyasha recognized his scent instantly. He was the youkai that they had smelled with Aoshi and Misao.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Inuyasha growled. "I don't have time to waste with low life weaklings like you." The snake youkai's red eyes slit at the hanyou. His long tongue flickered out as he coolly studied the pair.

"'A low life weakling' you say? How dare you, a filthy half breed, address me in such a way?"

"Heh, I'll show you a filthy half breed," Inuyasha growled. His golden eyes flickered over to Kenshin before staring coldly back at the youkai in front of them.

"Kenshin I'll take care of this weakling. Keep going." Kenshin nodded at him and sprinted on ahead. The snake youkai turned his head to follow the human and Inuyasha leapt at him. He swung the Tetsusaiga in a mighty arc and brought it down at the creature.

The youkai slithered out of the way and shot an acidic poison at the hanyou. Inuyasha managed to avoid the brunt of the attack, but a small bit of poison ate through the red fabric of his left sleeve.

Inuyasha gave a small hiss as he felt his skin burn. Damn. He dodged out of the way as the youkai lunged at him. As it twisted around him, his eyes fell on the spider marking on its back. He gave a sharp intake of breath as realization hit him. The other youkai had spider markings on their chests. This one had one on it's back.

This one had to be an incarnation of Naraku.

"Dammit," he growled. This was bad. That meant that Naraku was powerful enough now to begin making new incarnations of himself.

"Who the hell are you?" the hanyou growled. The snake hissed as it coiled around him and tightened.

"My name is Gojin half breed. You should remember it."

"Like hell I will!" Inuyasha raked his claws through the snake. His claws sliced through snake skin, but nothing else. The hanyou growled as dry pieces of shed skin blew away in the breeze. He'd gotten away.

Damn. He'd never seen a snake youkai do that before. Then again, if this one was a new incarnation...

He ran after Kenshin. They didn't have any time to lose.

_ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

Kenshin peered around a corner. He'd been able to sneak into the castle undetected. The youkai guards hadn't even noticed the human yet. The swordsman wasn't too concerned though. This was child's play for the former Ishin Shishi. This wasn't the first time that he'd snuck into a castle. He had all the training he needed for this sort of thing.

Not to mention that he also possessed a youkai soul.

He wondered how Inuyasha was making out. If it had been any other time, Kenshin probably would have been amused over the similarities between Inuyasha and Yahiko. Come to think of it, Sanosuke probably wasn't too much different either. He'd have gone charging straight up to the castle as well.

At rare times like this, Aoshi and Saito would have been the slightly saner ones to bring along. They would have snuck in the back entrance.

He paused suddenly at a dark, burnt area on one of the corridor floors. A small pile of blackened ash lay in the middle of the dark circle. Kenshin wrinkled his nose at the horrible smell. It almost smelt like burnt flesh. He paused as his nose caught another smell underneath the other. It smelled like dirt.

_Graveyard soil._

He wasn't sure where that thought came from. Kenshin didn't even know how graveyard soil would smell any different than regular soil. But for some reason, he knew that was what it was. What could it mean?

Instinct made him roll to the side as something whizzed by his head. He instintively unsheathed his sakabatou and whirled around to face his opponent.

A white baboon was standing halfway down the hall.

Kenshin stared at him. How had it snuck up so close to him? He should have noticed the youkai a long time ago.

"This one does not wish to fight," he called out. "Please, if you do not wish to be hurt, please stand aside." He was answered by an amused chuckle. Kenshin tightened his hand on his sword and stared at the youkai. Something about this one touched a hidden nerve.

"How amusing," the baboon chuckled. "That Sesshoumaru would not wish to fight. I find that greatly ironic." Kenshin stared. Who was this man? He could feel a strong, evil aura around him.

"Tell this one, are you Naraku?" he asked. The white baboon chuckled again in amusement.

"You don't remember? We had such an interesting encounter the last time we met."

So it was him. Only he of all people could be so lucky.

"Where are Aoshi and Misao?" he demanded. "What have you done with them?"

"Oh...nothing much," came the reply. Kenshin's eyes slitted dangerously at the youkai. They glinted gold as he struggled to keep the Battousai from coming out. However, with Naraku, he was tempted to let the former hitokiri run free.

"You toy with innocent people. This one can not stand idly by," Kenshin warned. He saw a smirk appear beneath the baboon mask. There was a sharp stillness in the air.

Naraku flew at him and Kenshin leapt back out of the way. His back foot came quickly forward and Kenshin's sakabatou flew out of its sheath as it sliced through the many tentacles that emerged from the other man's body. The two men paused and stared at each other. Then Naraku began to laugh again.

"This is a most interesting development," Naraku observed. "You are a mortal now, yet your skill with a blade is even more impressive than when you were a youkai. Even more curious is the fact that your sword's sharp edge is on the wrong side."

Kenshin unconsciously bared his teeth at the other man. He'd reversed his blade at the last instant to be able to cut through the pieces of flesh.

Some hidden instinct caused him to jump back. The sliced pieces of Naraku's flesh had suddenly flown toward him, in an attempt to absorb the human into his body. Kenshin wasn't sure what this meant, but he didn't want to find out. The human nimbly danced his way around the moving flesh and brought his reverse blade sword down on Naraku.

However, his blade paused a few feet above the man's head. Some hidden barrier was preventing him from touching the youkai.

"_Please_," Naraku said. "Do you really believe that reverse edged sword will be able to defeat me?"

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he dropped into one of the Hiten Mitsurugi's secret stances. He carefully shifted the balance of his feet as he dropped his sword down a few fractions of an inch. Then, like lightning, he was behind Naraku and slicing down with the sakabatou.

The force of his attack actually pushed Naraku back nearly ten meters. However, the strength of his barrier held. Kenshin pressed on his attack against the barrier, until something happened that horrified him.

The sakabatou snapped.

Kenshin dropped to a crouch as half of his sword went flying at the wall. Then he rolled out of the way before Naraku could strike at him. He swore to himself. This wasn't good. Kenshin held the broken sword in front of him. The youkai barrier was too strong for his sword.

**"KENSHIN! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"**

Kenshin sprang out of the way as Inuyasha's windscar came hurdling out of no where. He pressed himself flat against the ground the force of the blast erupted around him. As soon as the tremors had sufficiently subsided, Kenshin was on his feet.

"Did I get him?" Inuyasha yelled. Kenshin looked around. The walls and the floor and become one huge gaping hole. The two of them were answered by the voice of Naraku echoing through the chill air.

_"Perhaps another time, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. Our next meeting will not be so pleasant."_

Inuyasha cursed as he ran up to the hole and paused at Kenshin's side. He was going to leap through the hole when he suddenly noticed the broken blade in Kenshin's hands.

"There was some kind of barrier around him," Kenshin explained. "I was able to push him back, but I couldn't break it." Inuyasha stared at it before looking up at him with a surprisingly sympathetic expression.

"I know someone who can fix that," he said. "His name's Totousai. He's a crazy, senile old bastard, but he actually does good work." Inuyasha turned then and stared out the gaping hole. He growled softly to himself.

"Naraku's gone now," he muttered. "He won't be coming back here. Damn it." Inuyasha sighed as he stared outside. Then he turned to the red haired human at his side. "I picked up your friends' scents outside,"the hanyou lord said."There's another trail that leads away from the castle. They're not here anymore." He sniffed suddenly then before turning sharply to stare down the hall.

"I know that smell! It's the smell of graveyard soil!" Kikyo had smelled like that. It was the smell of a clay body.

"What does that mean?" Kenshin questioned. Something about the expression on Inuyasha's face alarmed him. The hanyou stared off into the distance before his eyes narrowed. He leapt down through the hole and paused a moment to sniff the air. Then he began sprinting away from the castle.

"Inuyasha!" Kenshin yelled. He didn't understand this at all. What was wrong? What did that strange smell mean? He sheathed the broken pieces of the sakabatou and ran after the anxious hanyou. Kenshin paused suddenly. Kaoru, Yahiko and Miroku were following after them. He couldn't just leave them. He stared back and forth in indecision.

Kenshin finally raced after Inuyasha and yelled at him again. He saw the hanyou pause reluctantly in the distance and turn back to him. Kenshin pointed his finger into the distance.

"This one is going to find the others!" he shouted. "We'll catch up to you, that we will!"

Inuyasha raised his hand to show that he had heard. The two men nodded at each other before they each took off in separate directions.

_sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_

"Do you think we'll be safe here?" Misao asked. She, Aoshi, and the strange priestess were sitting deep in the woods. The trio had struggled on through the forest, with a few score of youkai chasing after them. Kagome had managed to kill them all with her arrows.

The three of them had then waded down through a stream in order to through off their scent.

"Are you okay?" Misao asked in concern. Kagome smiled weakly and waved her hand at her.

"I'm fine," she lied. It wasn't true of course. She needed more souls to power her clay body. "What about you two? You guys got hurt really bad."

"We're both fine, priestess," Aoshi finally said. "If not for you, then Misao would be dead and I would still be under Naraku's control." Kagome smiled at them. She had spent some time gathering medicinal herbs to treat their wounds as best as she could.

_"Kagome,"_ Sango said. _"You need souls."_

_I know Sango_, she thought. She forced herself not to speak outloud. Neither Aoshi nor Misao could hear the dead Sango. Kagome really had no idea where to find any soul collectors.

Aoshi stared at her silently before finally reaching over and placing a hand on her forehead. He drew it back in surprise.

"You're cold," he said with some alarm. Her skin had contained no warmth. Kagome sighed.

_"I think you should tell them,"_ Sango said. Kagome silently agreed and sighed again.

"I'm...dead," Kagome admitted quietly. "Naraku had a sorceress form this likeness of me out of clay and fused my soul into it. He hoped that he would be able to control me with his demonseed. But it didn't work out like he thought. I escaped."

Aoshi and Misao stared at her. The young girl gaped wordlessly at her before finally yelling.

"What do you mean you're dead? You look alive to me!" the young girl protested.

Aoshi, meanwhile, stared thoughtfully at her before reaching his hand out again. This time he pressed two of his fingers against her left wrist. He kept them there for a few long moments before looking over at the young girl.

"There is no pulse," he stated. Misao stared at him before gaping back at Kagome.

"But..but how..." she stuttered.

Kagome staggered to her feet. She held onto her bow for support as she drug herself up.

"I'll explain everything. But first...I need to find something," she said. She staggered off into the forest and began her reluctant search for the soul collectors. The two Obiwaban gave each other questioning looks before starting after the stubborn priestess.

Neither of them was sure what to make of this new development. Nor were they aware of the dog eared hanyou that was beginning to make his way in their direction.


	31. Reunions

_Author's Note: I'd have updated sooner except not only did I have midterms, but my chapter 31 file that I had started on was mysteriously deleted. I had to restart this chapter over from the beginning. But seeing as how it turned out, this version is better than my first one. So I guess it was meant to be._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 31_: **Reunions**

Inuyasha gingerly sniffed the ground before he stood up and peered at the arrow mark in the tree. There were many such marks dotting the area, with the scattered remains of dead youkai as trophies.

Most of the bodies were gone, disintegrated into thin air. He had seen this before. Kikyo and Kagome's arrows had left similar markings of their passage. An archer of immense spiritual power had killed these youkai.

The hanyou lord stared on through the forest. He'd picked up the scents of two humans, which he now knew to be Kenshin's friends.

He'd also picked up the scent of graveyard soil.

What could it mean? Inuyasha took a deep breath to still his beating heart. It was too soon to jump to any kind of conclusion.

He jumped up into a tree and began leaping his way through the dense forest. Regardless of who this dead person was, he had to find out the truth.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kenshin crouched silently behind the leafy briar in front of him. Tall, leaf leaden boughs sheltered him from unfriendly eyes. At least, he hoped that they were. Someone had been following him for the last few minutes.

His violet blue eyes peered out through the underbrush. He carefully sniffed the air, but the smell was still there. In fact, it was even closer than before. The faint crackle of dead leaves reached his ears as his quarry finally immerged from the woodland trail.

He was human. At least, he appeared to be human. By all appearances, he was a young monk. Something about his face seemed faintly familiar, but Kenshin couldn't place the image. However, despite everything, his scent was clearly that of a youkai. To his surprise though, this youkai appeared to be very nervous, skittish even.

The swordsman waited until the man was closer. Then, with a quick flash of speed, he stepped out in front of the surprised youkai. To his even greater surprise however, instead of going on the offensive, the disguised youkai jumped back in fear and seemed on the verge of running away.

"Who are you?" Kenshin asked politely. The "monk" stared at his face before inching back a few more inches.

"This one does not intend to hurt you," Kenshin reassured him. "He only wishes to know why you have been following him."

"F..following?" the youkai stammered. He looked once more at Kenshin's face and realized that he couldn't lie his way out of this.

"All right," he admitted reluctantly. "I was following you." Kenshin hid his amazement. He'd never seen a youkai act like this before. This creature was clearly frightened of him.

"Who are you?" Kenshin asked curiously. "You are no human, that you are not." The youkai sweated for a moment before finally sighing and transforming into his true self. A small smile twitched at Kenshin's lips as he surveyed the other creature.

"A raccoon dog?" he questioned. The youkai did indeed look much like a large raccoon dog with clothes. He didn't have the more human appearance of Kouga or Shippo.

"Why were you following me?" Kenshin questioned. He no longer felt any danger from this creature. He could clearly see that a gentle soul existed within his furry exterior. The other youkai trembled slightly before he bowed politely.

"My name is Hachi…my lord. I was following you because…because you have the markings of a youkai named Sesshoumaru on your face." Kenshin gave a start at that. He gave a sharp look at Hachi, but the raccoon dog only shook more in fear.

_He is frightened of this one. Is it because of this one's face? Is it Sesshoumaru that causes him such terror?_

"What do you know of Sesshoumaru?" Kenshin asked.

"…I know that he was the older half-brother of Lord Inuyasha," Hachi answered. He seemed to gain some inner strength at the mention of the hanyou's name because he suddenly puffed his furry chest out in pride.

"I'm a friend of Inuyasha," the youkai declared. "I've fought along side him in many a battle." Seeing as how the creature had been so cowardly before, Kenshin somehow doubted that. Even so…

"This one is also a friend of Inuyasha, that he is. In fact, this one is looking for his friends, who are coming this way. Then they will reunite with Inuyasha. He and this one parted ways not even an hour ago." The strange youkai seemed to lose some of his fear at that.

"Who are your friends?" Hachi asked curiously.

"Miss Kamiya Kaoru, her student Myoujin Yahiko, and a…dead monk named Miroku." Kenshin had paused at the mention of 'dead', but something had made him say it. The raccoon dog's ears perked up at the mention of the perverted monk.

"This monk…" Hachi said, "…is he…um…a little enamored of the ladies?"

"That would perhaps be an understatement, that it would."

"Ah! Master Miroku! He has returned!" Hachi yelled joyfully. _Master Miroku? _Kenshin wondered.

"As this one has said, Miroku is dead. His soul currently resides within a wooden bokken, that it does." Kenshin paused a moment before continuing. "Perhaps you would like to help this one find his friends?"

"Of course! Of course!" Hachi agreed.

And thus Kenshin gained a new traveling companion.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"We're lost," Yahiko complained.

"We are NOT lost," Kaoru repeated. Her horse stamped his foot impatiently as Yahiko's nimbled on the grass. The two of them had been quarreling for the last half hour while Miroku had been strangely silent.

"WE'RE LOST YOU UGLY WOMAN!" the boy yelled.

"UGLY! WHO'S UGLY? I'M A LOT PRETTIER THAN MOST GIRLS YOU'LL EVER BE BLESSED TO SEE!"

Miroku sighed within the bokken and hid a chuckle. He was going to have to teach Yahiko the finer points of what constituted a beautiful woman. In all actuality, Kaoru was fine specimen of womanhood. Not nearly as attractive as his dear Sango, as her hips had been far more pleasing to the eye, but Kaoru was not without definite female characteristics.

After all, she did have a nice rear end. However, even he had to admit that Megumi's was more…attractive.

"_We are not lost," _he finally said to break up the fight. And a fight it was, Kaoru was currently bashing Yahiko across the head with her bokken. So it could be said that he also spoke up to avoid being used as a blunt object against the young woman. Not that he would have minded all that much mind you, he might actually have enjoyed it on some perverted level. However, there were far more important things to be dealt with.

"What'd you mean, 'we are not lost'?" Yahiko asked in mid fight.

"_I have felt a dark presence ahead of us for some time. Although much of it has strangely vanished, I know that it is centered in Kurashiki."_

"Vanished?" Kaoru asked. "How?"

"_I don't know, but I fear that great evil is at work."_

"I'll bet that Kenshin and Inuyasha killed Naraku!" Yahiko exclaimed. Kaoru began to smile in agreement, but Miroku quickly broke their rising hope.

"_I doubt that. As strong as Inuyasha has now become, and as strong as Kenshin is, the fact remains that this is not the first time that Naraku has disappeared on us. I doubt very much that they killed him."_

Kaoru and Yahiko each gave a dejected sigh as they stared into the distance. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

"_Yahiko," _Miroku said. _"You should be able to feel this as well. Close your eyes and concentrate. You should know what it is that we are facing."_

"I felt him before, remember? He was in my body."

"_I know, but I still want you to feel this. Naraku has grown stronger since your last encounter with him."_

Yahiko took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He centered his thoughts as Miroku had taught him. With frightening clarity, the young boy briefly perceived the darkness ahead.

His eyes snapped open and he stared wildly down at the bokken in his sash.

"M..Miroku?" he stammered. Kaoru studied the boy quietly with a worried expression on her face. Very rarely did Yahiko drop his bravado and show any kind of fear.

"_Now you know," _Miroku said quietly. _"And this is after much of it has already disappeared."_

Yahiko stared quietly into the distance. His heart was deeply troubled by what the monk had just said. Then with an arrogant smirk of grim determination, he thrust his possessed bokken out at the direction of Kurashiki.

"I'm not scared!" Yahiko declared boldly. "I'm Tokyo Samurai Myoujin Yahiko, the great descendant of warriors! The blood of youkai runs in my veins! I'll defeat Naraku for all the cruel things that he's done, you'll see!"

Miroku marveled quietly at the strength in the young boy's face. Truly, not only did he see much of Inuyasha in that face, but also that of Kagome, Sango, and perhaps even a little of himself. This boy did indeed not only have the blood of his ancestors in his veins, but also the bold spirit to match.

He felt a swell of pride at that moment, but none more than Kaoru did as well. Yahiko just might become one of the Kamiya Kasshin's greatest students. After her that is.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Kagome held a hand over her eyes as she surveyed the stretch of land outside the forest. In truth, she wasn't really sure where they were. Aoshi had said they were by Kurashiki. She vaguely remembered about where that was, but it had been a long time ago.

She was feeling more energetic now. The soul collectors that she and Sango had finally found had provided her with new souls. Kagome had let them go for now however, as they had been making Misao uncomfortable.

Kagome wasn't sure what to do, but she did know one thing. She needed Inuyasha.

And so, without any other option, she came to a decision.

"I have an idea," she said cheerfully to the other two. "Let's go northwest. I need to find my husband. Then we can go after Naraku." However, the other two didn't quite share her enthusiasm.

"We need to go to Kyoto," Aoshi said bluntly. "We have friends in Tokyo that we need to contact." Kagome blinked before smiling sweetly up at the tall, emotionless man.

"Nope, sorry. I have to go to Inuyasha and you two are coming with me. You can find your friends when we get done."

"Forgive me for any offense priestess," Aoshi protested. "But we must get to Kyoto. I thank you for your concern, but we are quite capable of protecting ourselves. We do not require your aid for the time being." He wasn't going to let himself be ordered around by this woman, well meaning that she might be.

Kagome glared at him.

Moments later, a sullen Aoshi and an impressed Misao were trailing after the smiling priestess.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Kenshin! You're okay!" Kaoru exclaimed in relief. She hugged the startled swordsman before blushing and jumping back in embarrassment.

"Who's your friend?" Yahiko questioned.

"Where's Master Miroku?" Hachi asked excitedly. "Where's the wooden sword?"

"_**HACHI?**__" _Miroku exclaimed in disbelief. The raccoon dog whirled in his direction and peered at the wooden sword hanging from Yahiko's sash.

"Master!" he yelled.

"Uh..Kenshin? What's going on?" Yahiko asked. "Where's Inuyasha?"

It took some time, but Kenshin related what had happened. He paused at the startled expressions on his friends' faces when he showed them his broken sakabatou. But Miroku had quickly reassured them that their friend Totousai could fix it. Kenshin had then continued up to the point that he had found the others.

"_Hmmm…" _Miroku murmured. _"Both you and Inuyasha smelled the scent of graveyard soil?"_

"Is that a problem?" Kaoru asked. There was a pause.

"_I'm not sure," _Miroku finally said. There was another pause, then.

"_Leave the horses," _the dead monk ordered. _"Hachi, please give us a lift. We need to join Inuyasha as quickly as possible."_

"What's wrong?" Yahiko asked. "Why's the smell of graveyard soil so important?"

"_I'll explain on the way. Kenshin, you may have to go to the ground from time to time to make sure that we're on Inuyasha's trail." _Kenshin nodded his head in agreement.

"_Hachi?" _Miroku asked. The chubby youkai puffed out his furry cheeks and transformed into an elongated balloon like figure. The humans looked at each a moment before pulling their few items off the horses and leaping up onto the transformed youkai.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Inuyasha sniffed the air. He was close now, he could feel it. Just a little further.

The hanyou landed atop a tall tree and gazed around him. His ears twitched as they caught the faintest trace of a human voice.

He bounded forward from tree to tree before halting again to listen. This time he heard the voice again, as well as another, deeper one. However, it was the third voice that caught his attention.

It was another female voice, cheerful, proud, and demanding.

Kagome!

Inuyasha's ears perked up and he raced through the forest with a single minded determination. Nothing could have stopped him from reaching that beautiful voice.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kagome paused. Something was heading their way. She could feel it.

"Priestess?" Misao asked. Aoshi paused in his silent brooding to stare impassively at her. Kagome stared off into the forest as her hand unconsciously pulled an arrow from her quiver.

Aoshi automatically unsheathed his short sword and stepped in front of Misao. Misao, in turn, pulled several hidden shuriken from within her sleeve.

"_Kagome? What is it?" _Sango asked.

"A youkai?" Aoshi questioned. Kagome stared off into the forest.

"…No…not quite…." she murmured. Still, she held her bow at the ready. Her heart began to beat in her chest. This aura was not quite youkai…but not quite human either. Could it….

A flash of silver and red zipped through the trees and landed in front of her. Kagome dropped her bow and arrow as the still injured Aoshi stepped protectively towards what he believed was a new threat. The priestess tried to find the words to halt the swordsman, but her voice failed her.

"_In…Inuyasha…_" she whispered. Tears blurred her vision as she beheld the silver haired hanyou in front of her. Never before had she seen such a welcome sight. He in turn stared at her, unbelieving in uncharacteristic timidness.

"_Ka…Kagome…"_

The moment was broken abruptly by the attacking Aoshi. She and Inuyasha's exchange had lasted only a few seconds. The swordsman brought his sword towards the hanyou, who leapt out of the way.

"Priestess! Run!" Aoshi commanded.

"Of all the…" Inuyasha growled. "Move you puny human! I'll pulverize you if you don't move away from my wife!"

Aoshi halted in surprise as he gaped at the dog eared man. _Wife! This_ was her husband!

Inuyasha growled as he leapt down at the briefly stunned Aoshi. Sango muttered to herself inside Kagome.

"…_Inuyasha… Kagome you have to stop him."_

"Inuyasha!" Kagome finally managed to yell. "Don't hurt him! He's just trying to protect…" Inuyasha punched Aoshi. Kagome sighed as the irate hanyou raised his other fist. Aoshi narrowed his eyes and prepared to strike with his kodachi. There was only one solution to this problem.

"Inuyasha! **SIT BOY!**"

_**CRASH!**_

A loud yelp, then…

"Kagome! How could you…!"

Inuyasha stopped as he felt Kagome slip her arms around him. Her lips met his for a long kiss. Then she tightened her grip and laid her head down on his chest. Tears slipped from her eyes and she and Inuyasha embraced.

They stayed that way for a long time.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Author's Note: I'll probably jump back to Shippo and Co. in the next chapter before going back to Kenshin, Inuyasha, and Kagome and Co. That's the tricky part about going back and forth with two divergent storylines, knowing when to jump back and forth. Everyone will end back up together eventually, but right now they've all got other things to face._


	32. The Fukushima Revolt

_**Recap: **The last time we left Shippo, Saito, Kouga, and Sanosuke, they had been following a renegade youkai that they had come across accidentally. While chasing him, they also ran across the three monkey sprites. Through this accidental meeting, the quartet learned from the monkey god that Naraku's evil could be felt throughout all the islands._

_The monkey god told them that he could feel Naraku most strongly to the southwest, to which our group has set off to. They suspect that Naraku may have spies within the Meiji Government._

_Also in that same chapter as well, Shippo's hanyou son Namu also ran away from Inuyasha's home. He has hopes of proving himself to be as strong as Inuyasha. Unknown to him, Kirara is quietly trailing the young fox as an unseen guardian._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 32_: **The Fukushima Revolt**

Amaya growled as she glared at the young fox youkai in front of her. Sango tried to hide her trembling as Inuyasha and Kagome's daughter proceeded to lecture her young charge. As this was going one, her husband Akio, well accustomed to his wife's temper, had taken refuge in the next room.

"You mean to tell me," Amaya continued with barely controlled anger, "That you have no idea _where _your brother is?" Her golden eyes glinted down at the young kitsune. Sango gulped as she faced the irate woman.

"N..no Lady Amaya, he didn't say anything to me, I swear!" she protested. "I didn't know he was going to leave!"

"Leave the child be," Megumi finally said calmly. "She doesn't know where Namu went." Megumi's voice of reason had the effect of calming Amaya's temper a few degrees. Even so, she was still angry that the young man had given her and Akio the slip.

Amaya muttered to herself. Megumi was correct of course, but she was too stubborn to admit it. After another glare at the child, she finally relented and stalked away.

"Amaya."

She looked over at her husband as he stepped out of the next room. The wolf youkai looked gravely back at the upset kitsune girl before looking back at his wife.

"Kirara is gone," he said. "I'll bet she went after him." Amaya felt a little better at that bit of news. The cat youkai would keep the young fox hanyou from harm. Even so, she couldn't let him wander around by himself.

"Akio, can you send some of your wolves looking for him?" she asked. Akio nodded as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I sent them out a few minutes ago," he answered. "But I'm sure he's okay. Only a fool would mess with Kirara."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Namu clutched his injured arm as he stared up at the falcon youkai towering over him. It was just his luck to run into a more powerful youkai. The falcon youkai, having learned that Namu was a hanyou, had decided that he was easy prey.

The young hanyou fired a small blast of foxfire, which had no effect on the youkai. Being only half youkai, his foxfire was considerably weaker than his father's. In fact, it was only a mere illusion.

The female youkai screeched as she swooped down to the young man. Namu bared his teeth and slashed his claws at the youkai. His claws raked her face at the same time her talons dug his leg.

"Give it up half-breed," the youkai laughed. "I need you to feed my children. Your warm flesh should do quite nicely."

"Go to hell," he spat. The young fox managed to rip off her leg and jump back down the ground. The falcon screamed in rage and dove down to meet him.

A flash of white and black fur rushed between the two opponents. Namu gaped in surprise as a transformed Kirara set herself upon the equally shocked bird of prey. Within seconds, the cat youkai had ripped the other youkai to shreds.

A stunned Namu stared at the cat as she carefully began to lick her paws clean. Then she transformed back into her smaller form and mewed up at him.

"Kirara!" he yelled. She mewed again. Namu balled his hands into fists as he stared at the cat.

"I'm not going back," he declared stubbornly. Kirara stared at him impassively. "I can't go back," he protested again. "Inuyasha's only half youkai, but even full blooded youkai are careful around him! I have to be as strong as Inuyasha!"

The cat seemed to think about that for a moment before she mewed again and hopped up onto his shoulder. Apparently she was going to allow him the freedom to stay, for now.

"Thank you Kirara," Namu said. The cat stared at him with undisguised intelligence before looking into the distance. She understood the reasoning for this. The kit needed to grow up and now was the time to do it.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Fujita Goro, is it? What exactly is it that you want with the good Captain?"

Saito glared at the baby faced man in front of him. Ochiba Benjiro was the personal secretary of Captain Buntaro. A money loving bureaucrat if there ever was one, Ochiba loved to flaunt his so called influence in front of others.

Saito exchanged glances with a transformed Shippo. The group had stopped at Fukushima when both Shippo and Kouga had picked up the scent of a youkai. Their noses had led them to the district police office in the center of the city.

"We have urgent business with him," Saito lied. "We have received important information that could very well affect the future of the Meiji government. We believe that there are political dissidents hiding in Fukushima."

Ochiba laced his fingers together in a show of deep thought as he raised an eyebrow at the pair. On cue, Shippo handed a false document to the cynical secretary. Following Saito's instructions, the kitsune had created a false "letter" with his fox magic that had supposedly been intercepted from the dissidents.

The fat security made a show of examining the document before he studied the pair. According to the document, the political offenders were supporters of Socialism. They were supposedly on route to receive armaments from a rogue Socialist group from within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Since Saito himself had arrested several people in possession of The Communist Manifesto, it wasn't an unbelievable story.

"Captain Buntaro isn't in right now," Ochiba finally said. "I can make an appointment for you to see him tomorrow. I'll pass on your…evidence to him." Saito held in his anger as he glared icily at the fat bureaucrat.

"I'm sure you will," the former Shinsengumi replied dryly. Ochiba smiled charmingly at him.

"Now," Ochiba said as he dipped his pen in a bottle of ink, "What was the name of your companion again?"

"Higurashi Yudono," Shippo replied easily. "My family operates a shrine in Tokyo."

"I…see…." Ochiba muttered. "Well gentlemen, I'm afraid we can't help you today. Please return tomorrow when Captain Buntaro is here."

Saito bowed stiffly before he and Shippo exited the building. The two of them then spent the next twenty-minutes walking around Fukushima and stopped briefly for tea at a local restaurant. They were being followed and they knew it.

As soon as they were able, the two men slipped out of sight and headed unseen over to the outskirts of town. An impatient Kouga and Sanosuke were waiting for them.

The wolf had been tapping his foot impatiently over and over again, much to the annoyance of Sanosuke. He had been about to plant a fist into the irritable wolf when their two companions had finally shown up.

"Well?" Kouga asked impatiently. "What'd you find out?"

"That we should feed all of the human bureaucrats to your wolves," Shippo replied. "They tend to be fat enough."

"I don't know," Saito replied dryly. "Kouga's wolves might not find much meat on their over indulged carcasses."

"So, what else is new?" Sano asked. "You expect anything else when it comes to politics?" Saito grunted at that. Of course he hadn't expected anything else. Even so, it was still irritating.

"Buntaro's secretary was human," Shippo said. "And I didn't catch that strange sent from him like Naraku's other human followers have."

"What about Buntaro?" Sano asked.

"Apparently it is beneath _Captain _Buntaro to speak with us at the moment," Saito answered. "Ochiba assured us that we could speak with him tomorrow."

"What about the youkai," Kouga asked. "Any sign of him?"

Shippo and Saito looked at each other. They had discussed this in length on their wayward journey across town.

"The youkai smell was very strong in the district office," Shippo said. "And my sword was glowing violet. It only does that if there is a strong youkai presence nearby."

"We think that Buntaro himself is the youkai," Saito finished. "If that's true, he's most likely aware of our presence in Fukushima." Kouga smirked at that as he smacked his fists together in anticipation.

"That's just fine with me," Kouga stated. "I'm up for a good fight."

"It probably will come to that," Shippo agreed. "But Saito and I think that perhaps we should have a look around there tonight. We may find something useful."

"Won't they be expecting that?" Kouga asked. Saito lit a cigarette as he smirked mercilessly over at the wolf.

"A major civil dispute in the city might be enough to draw off a large number of their police forces," Saito mused. "It's just too bad that several Socialist supporters are going to strike tonight."

"Socialist supporters?" Sano asked. Both Shippo and Saito smirked at him and Kouga. _Oh hell, _Sano thought. _That bastard's talking about us._

"Where do you want us to go?" he asked reluctantly. Kouga rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Causing trouble was what he was best at.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"What do you want me to do Captain?" Ochiba asked nervously. Captain Buntaro Nikkou didn't bother to look up at the fat secretary as he studied a military map. The captain idly scratched a few characters onto the side of the parchment before looking up.

"You made an appointment for them to see me tomorrow, did you not?" he asked.

"Ye…yes Sir."

"Then I will deal with them tomorrow."

Ochiba bowed and left the captain to his work. He had learned the hard way not to detain the other man any longer than was necessary.

Buntaro waited until the human had left before leaning back in his chair. These two visitors intrigued him. He looked down at the supposedly intercepted letter and smiled. It looked like an ordinary letter, but he knew it for what it was.

Fox magic.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kouga tentatively sniffed the cup of sake before gulping it down. He and Sanosuke had spent the last half hour in one of the local bars. Saito had decided that it was one of the best places to start a false riot.

After all, a drunken man was more easily manipulated than a sober one.

To ensure that it looked like a real riot, Shippo had given them a few "toys". When they were ready to begin, these toys would come to resemble real people. The fox had described them as "shadows". After their purpose had been served, the imitations would revert back to simple leaves.

"So whaddya guys think of th'Meiji govermemd," Sano slurred. In all actuality, the human wasn't as drunk as he pretended to be. At least, Kouga hoped that was the case.

"Hah," one of the men replied. "You call that a government? So much for equality!"

"Yeah," another replied. "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer! There's not supposed to be a samurai class anymore, but there might as well be!" There was some murmuring of agreement from among the other people in the bar.

"In Socialism, everyone's supposed to get an equal share," Kouga hinted slyly. In all actuality, he had no _idea _what the heck Socialism was. Saito had given him a crash course. Even so, the wolf still didn't understand the concept.

"Karl Marx had the right idea for a Westerner," another man replied. They were now drawing a small crowd. "In the Communist Manifesto, he wrote _'When in the course of development, class distinctions have disappeared, and all production has been concentrated in the hands of a vast association of the whole nation, the public power will lose its political character. Political power, properly so called, is merely the organized power of one class for oppressing another.'"_

There was a round of cheering at that. Sanosuke gave Kouga an uneasy look. What was supposed to be a false riot was starting to get a little out of control. Saito would kill them if this turned into an actual revolt.

There were a few more speeches from other customers in the bar, all apparently well versed in Socialist ideology. Sanosuke was beginning to plot their escape from the bar when their little ploy suddenly spun out of control.

"Death to the Meiji government!"

"All hail Karl Marx!"

Kouga and Sanosuke gaped around at the suddenly active bar that seethed with drunken, irate, angry people. Like an explosion of a firing flintlock rifle, the drunken crowd had surged out into the street. Within minutes, the streets had become one large cesspool as more people began to join the forming mob.

The two men stared around them before pointing at each other.

"This is your fault," Kouga accused.

"Like hell it is!" Sano protested. "How was I supposed to know that there were actual Socialists around here?"

"Then we're both agreed. It's all Saito's fault."

Some random flying object beamed Kouga in the head at the same time that some stranger punched Sanosuke. The two men grinned at each other before launching themselves into the brawling mob. Now they could finally get into a good fight.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Shippo and Saito smirked at each other as the sounds of whistles, horns, and yelling began to be heard around the city. Within minutes, several squads of policemen were running through the streets.

"That's a bit more than I expected," Saito mused quietly. Their eyes widened as they caught sight of a burning building in the distance. Another squad of policeman ran out of the gates.

"What the hell are they doing?" Shippo wondered. He was starting to wonder at the wisdom of their diversion.

"We don't have time to wonder about that," Saito advised. "Let's get going." The fox nodded in agreement before jumping down from the wall. Saito landed silently beside him.

Before long, the two men were crouching inside the Western style building. They had entered through a second story window and were now inching their way through the offices.

The two men paused before Captain Buntaro's office. Shippo sniffed the air uneasily. He very quietly pulled his sword out a few fractions from his sheath. It was glowing a bright shade of violet. They exchanged looks before Saito nodded.

Saito kicked the door open as Shippo flung a large ball of green foxfire into the room. To his surprise however, it was deflected by bright blue shield of fire.

"Saito!" he yelled. "Down!"

Saito hit the floor as a massive wave of fire blasted them. Shippo gritted his teeth and threw out his hands in defense. If not for the fact that his sword amplified his youkai powers, he very well may have been thrown back.

"Well what do we have here?" a voice mused. "A human and a youkai working together? How very odd indeed."

Shippo glared as their quarry stepped out of the shadows. Bright blue eyes framed by long bangs raven black hair studied them as a black fox tail swished back and forth. It was just his luck.

Buntaro was a kitsune.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"You think that maybe this has gotten a little out of hand?" Sano yelled over to Kouga. The wolf smirked as a nearby building exploded. Somehow, Sano had yet to determine exactly when, a bundle of military weapons had made their way into the crowd's hands.

In fact, more people seemed to be joining the growing riot every minute. He'd even seen a few posters proudly displaying the image of some European that he soon realized to be Karl Marx.

Apparently there actually were Socialist supporters in Fukushima.

Sanosuke gleefully punched a few more people before grabbing the wolf's tail. Kouga's human disguise, courtesy of Shippo, had since slipped off. Yet for all the mass of people milling around, no one seemed to have noticed the barefoot, wolf tailed, pointed eared man wearing a kilt and armor.

Then again, Sanosuke had just seen a burly man run by wearing a woman's pink kimono. Maybe Kouga's appearance wasn't all the strange to these people.

"Hey wolf, let's get over to the police station!" he yelled over the crowd. "We're probably missing the real fight!"

The wolf's teeth glinted as he grabbed Sanosuke and began to jump from one house roof to another.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Tell us," Shippo asked quietly. "Are you from the Shadow Fox clan?" The Shadow Foxes were a well respected and powerful clan of Kitsunes. However, their territory was in the far northern most part of the Hokkaido Island, close to the Russian border. In fact, it was right across from part of Siberia. What was one of their own doing way down here?

"I am," the other kitsune answered. "My name is Yoichi."

"Why are you helping Naraku?" Shippo demanded. He wanted to believe that this kitsune was innocent of that charge, but his nose was telling him differently. The very same faint smell that he had picked up from Naraku's other followers was centered around the black haired fox.

Saito watched the two foxes silently as he stood guard at the door. They had come primarily for information. If they could do this without a fight, then all the better. But if it came down to it…

He silently fingered the hilt of his sword. If it came down to it, then they would have to make sure they killed this youkai.

"Why are you helping him?" Shippo repeated. Yoichi seemed to struggle internally, as if he was fighting some inner battle.

"I…have no…choice," the other kitsune forced out. "I…I'm sorry." Yoichi unsheathed his sword and lunged at Shippo. With no other choice, the red haired fox unsheathed his own blade.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well well, would you look at that," Sano said dryly. He and Kouga had paused on top of a roof top. Down below them, Ochiba, Buntaro's fat secretary, was giving a pro-Socialist speech to the already incited mob. They knew it had to be him because Shippo had shapeshifted briefly into his image.

Kouga scratched his ear before leaping down to the crowd. He smirked with sudden mischief as he landed on top of Ochiba's head. The fat secretary gave an undignified squawk as the wolf hopped once on his balding head before sending him tumbling into the crowd.

The wolf leapt back up the rooftop to grin at Sanosuke. The young human grinned in reply before they continued on to the police station.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Yoichi! Stop this! I don't want to fight!" Shippo yelled. Ignoring his plea, the other kitsune pressed on with his attack. Saito muttered a bit under his breath. That sounded like something that Kenshin might say.

Why couldn't they just fight and not complain about it?

Luckily for Shippo, he soon realized that he himself was the better swordsman. Perhaps he had Inuyasha and Sango to thank for that.

Having come to the same conclusion, Yoichi decided on a new strategy. With a puff of blue smoke, the kitsune shapeshifted into a large dragon. The wooden walls of the building splintered and cracked from the sheer bulk of his new form.

Shippo grabbed Saito and leapt outside just as the building came crashing down around them. The kitsune growled softly to himself as he deposited Saito on the ground and leapt back up at Yoichi.

He considered transforming as well, but decided against it. Two battling dragons in the middle of a human city might cause a little unwanted attention.

"Yoichi!" he called out. "This is your last chance!"

The transformed Yoichi spewed out blew flames from his mouth. Shippo sighed as he held his Kadouki in front of him. The Kadouki had been made by Totousai for him when he had become a teenager. The sword worked as an amplifier on the person who wielded it. Without it, his foxfire was a formidable force. But used through the Kadouki…

His sword glowed with the aura of green flames as he raised it above his head. Shippo then sliced down with the Kadouki, causing a shockwave of green fire to blast forth from the blade.

The force of his Fire Wave was nearly equal to that of Inuyasha's Wind Scar.

The other kitsune screamed in pain as the green flames cut through his body. Weak from the fatal attack, he transformed back into his normal body.

Saito watched as Shippo resheathed his blade and walked up to the dying youkai. It was at that same moment that their other two companions showed up.

"Dammit!" Kouga yelled. "I missed it!" Sanosuke, for his own part, gave a low whistle as he surveyed the surrounding area. The police station had been smashed, as had other nearby buildings. Green flame could still be seen fading in some of the rubble.

"What the hell is that mangy fox doing?" Sano asked.

"Leave him be," Saito said. "This was his fight."

The three men stood back as Shippo bent down to the other fox. Yoichi's torso had been ripped in two. Shippo studied him sadly as the other man grimaced in pain. Then, to his shock, a repulsive spider crawled out from within his chest.

"What the hell?" he muttered. Strangely, a tranquil look grew on the other fox's face.

"F..finally it's gone," Yoichi gasped. "Thank the gods…"

Shippo stared down at him, stunned. _What the hell?_ What the hell was this thing?

"Please…kill it…" Yoichi whispered. "It…it's how…Naraku…controlled…."

Shippo scorched the strange spider with his fox magic and watched it burn to ash. This brought a weak smile to the dying Yoichi.

"There…are…more…" the kitsune gasped weakly. "…More…in…Kurashiki…" Shippo grasped one of Yoichi's hands and held it.

"I'm sorry," Shippo apologized. "I didn't know. I didn't know he was controlling you."

"Y..you freed me. Now I can die…in peace."

Shippo watched silently as the other man coughed up blood. Yoichi's skin grew increasingly cold and pale as the man continued to fade away.

"Please…stop Him…" Yoichi pleaded. "For my clan…for…all of us…"

"I'm sorry," Shippo repeated softly.

"Kurashiki…go to…"

Shippo gently reached out and closed the dead man's eyes. _Yet another life dead because of Naraku. _

The kitsune laid down the hand and sat there for a long time, overcome with remorse.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"What were you two thinking Rooster!" Saito practically yelled. "I should have you and that mangy wolf arrested!"

"Shut up Saito! It was your idea in the first place!" Sanosuke protested. They had since properly cremated the dead Yoichi at Shippo's request. Now, nearly two hours later, Saito was finally showing his disapproval at the consequences of their plan.

"I told you to start a _fake_ riot, not an actual revolt!"

"Yeah, what are the odds," Kouga smirked in amusement. "Turns out that there really _are _Socialists in Fukushima." Saito muttered incoherently as he glared from one man to the other. Even Shippo, who was still troubled from recent events, chuckled to himself.

"Who would have guessed that Ochiba was a Socialist," the kitsune added. Saito cursed softly under his breath as he turned to glare at Shippo. Then unexpectantly, his sides began to shake in mirth as a peal of wry laughter rose in his throat.

"Who would have guessed it?" Saito agreed dryly. "It's just my luck to make up a lie and it turns out to be partially true."

"In any case," Shippo said quietly. "I think we should go to Kurashiki. There's something going on there."

"Yeah, I agree," Kouga said. "It's the first solid lead that we have on that Bastard."

After another look around, the quartet set off for Kurashiki. Little did they know of the danger that lay ahead.

………………………………………………………………………………………………


	33. Totousai

**RK Quote of the Day: **

_Yahiko (drunk):_ "Myoujin Yahiko is al'ays sober! Bring on arrows, guns, anythin'!"

_Sanosuke:_ "Yeah yeah. I'm gonna put you down now."

**Inuyasha Quote of the Day:**

_Miroku: _"It's irrational. It's impossible. It's against my religion."

_Inuyasha: _"You ought to be arrested."

_**Author's Note:** I think I'm being influenced by Nobuhiro Watsuki's random notes that he leaves in the Rurouni Kenshin manga. I have decided that I'm going to start posting my favorite RK and Inuyasha quote of the day at the top of each chapter. Also, nothing major here, just some things that may be of interest to you._

_First of all, thank you all for your reviews. This story has turned out to be much more complicated and longer than I had originally planned. However, it seems to be working out fine, don't you think? I wasn't quite expecting the response that I've gotten, so thank you all again. I do try to answer questions in the reviews or try out suggestions that have been made._

_Second of all, after this story is finished (whenever that is), hopefully by Christmas, I have another Rurouni Kenshin story brewing around in my twisted brain. It's not fully developed yet, but I think it has potential. It will mostly be a Saito centered fic, although other characters will play large roles as well._

_**Recap: **The last time we left our other heroes, it was a day of reunions. Kenshin accidentally met Hachi in the forest, who went then went with our scar-faced hero to join the others. Miroku was very surprised (and pleased) at the sudden presence of his old friend. On another note, Kagome was still on the run with Aoshi and Misao when Inuyasha caught up with them. It was a tearful, but very happy, reunion between husband and wife._

_Kenshin, Miroku, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Hachi are now on their way to reunite with the others._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 33_: **Totousai**

"_Hachi, what were doing way out here?" _Miroku asked. Their small group was currently floating over a large section of the forest. Kenshin had gone back down to the ground to make sure they were still going in the right direction.

"I was in one of the human villages, Master Miroku. It's much easier to find food there."

"_Is that so?" _the monk asked dryly. _"Then tell me Hachi, why were you using my image?" _Judging from Kenshin's description, Hachi must have been transformed as him. This wouldn't be the first time that this had happened. Miroku had once been tied up and nearly thrown into a river because Hachi had been impersonating him among several villages.

He had been accused of flirting with the village woman and swindling the people out of their money, of all things. Of all the ghastly things to accuse him of. He still didn't understand why his so called friends had originally sided with the villagers. Even Shippo had told them they could throw him in the river.

At least Kagome had finally, and reluctantly, come to his rescue and proved that he was innocent. For once.

"_Hachi, were you pretending to be me again so that you could get free food?"_

"Master!" Hachi protested. "I would never do that!" _You did before, _Miroku thought.

"How's that any different than you?" Kaoru asked the monk suspiciously. "Inuyasha and Shippo told me that you would always pick the richest house in a village that suddenly needed to be 'exorcised', just so you could get free food and lodging!"

"And sometimes more," Yahiko added dryly. Inuyasha had also told them about all the times Miroku would relieve people of their earthly possessions.

"_I resent that comment! I was…I **am** a perfectly pious monk!"_

"You know Kaoru," Yahiko pointed out. "Miroku's not really much better than Sanosuke. They're both a couple of bums."

"_Yahiko!"_

"Give Miroku some credit," Kaoru smiled. "He's a far more creative bum than Sanosuke."

"_Hey!" _Miroku protested again.

"I hate to interrupt," Hachi said. "But Kenshin wants back up."

The transformed youkai floated down low enough that Kenshin was able to leap out of a tree to reach them. They floated back up into the sky as the swordsman wiped his brow before peering off into the distance.

"Not far now," Kenshin said. "Inuyasha has probably picked up our scent by now, that he has. He will wait for us to catch up before going further."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Inuyasha? What is it?" Kagome asked. Her husband looked down at her and smiled. Despite all that had happened recently, despite the fact that her flesh wasn't real, he was happy.

Kagome was back and that was all that mattered to him.

His golden eyes brushed over Aoshi and Misao before looking through the trees. The human man oddly reminded him of Sesshoumaru, which automatically irritated the hanyou. Not that he necessarily disliked Aoshi, after all, he _had _been trying to protect the women.

Aoshi just had the personality of a stump, that was all.

"What are we waiting around for?" Misao demanded. For some reason, the young girl made him think of a weasel. He wasn't sure why.

"I'm waiting for a certain perverted monk, one of our descendants, my brother's reincarnation, and his sword wielding woman who can't cook," Inuyasha barked. Misao glared at him. Aoshi raised an eyebrow.

"Uh…Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. The hanyou smirked, but refused to say more. The priestess sighed before turning a glare on him.

"Sango wants to know too," she smirked suddenly. Inuyasha's ear twitched at that as he gave her a confused look.

"Sango?" he asked in surprise.

"Uh huh," she answered. Another ear twitched as he suddenly sniffed her bow.

"Is she in there?" he asked curiously.

"What? In my bow?" she exclaimed.

"Why not? Miroku accidentally trapped his soul in Yahiko's bokken. _Stupid monk_."

This time it was Misao and Aoshi's turn to look at him in surprise. The young girl's mouth gaped open comically before she voiced both her and Aoshi's silent question.

"What?" she asked.

"Who's Yahiko?" Kagome questioned.

"Myoujin Yahiko. He's our descendant."

"**What?" **Misao yelled again.

"Really?" Kagome asked. "What's this about Miroku and Sesshoumaru? What sword wielding…" She paused as Inuyasha sniffed once, smirked, and looked up at the sky. Even though he had picked up on Hachi's scent, he was still a little surprised to see the others floating down on the back of the transformed tanuki.

"Hey! Inuyasha!"

A curious Kagome watched as a young boy waved from Hachi's back. Her eyes drifted down to his bokken, which had an unusual amount of spiritual energy centered in it. Then they drifted to a young woman, and finally to the red haired swordsman, who had a strange cross-shaped scar on his face, peering down at them.

He also had Sesshoumaru's face markings.

"Kaoru! Hey Kaoru!" Misao yelled.

"_Kagome!"_

"Miroku?"

"KENSHIN? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR FACE?" Misao yelled.

"Oro?"

Everyone paused at that last remark. Misao, and Aoshi as well, stared at the youkai markings on the swordman's face. Kenshin sweatdropped as Misao leaned forward to peer wide eyed at the blue crescent moon and red stripes.

"Are those tattoos?" she asked.

"Oro?" Kenshin asked.

"They are, aren't they!" Misao exclaimed. "Kaoru! How could you let him get tattoos?"

"Oro!"

"They're not tattoos," Yahiko muttered.

"They're tattoos! They have to be tattoos!"

"Oro? Oro?"

"_Those are Sesshoumaru's markings…" _Sango said to Kagome. The priestess nodded her head as she agreed. She could now feel the youkai aura surrounding the red haired man. A sudden thought occurred to her as she stared again at Miroku.

_Sango? _She asked silently. Sango caught on to her thoughts and agreed. It was worth a try. The dead youkai slayer was tired of only being able to communicate with Kagome.

Inuyasha watched curiously as Kagome's bow glowed briefly in her hands. Before he could ask however, he turned his head to bark at Misao.

"Kenshin's got those stupid markings because he's got my brother's youkai soul inside him Wench!" he yelled. "He's his reincarnation! Now shut up and stop asking stupid questions!"

"**SIT!" **

_Wham._

"Ow!" Inuyasha yelped. Aoshi and Misao, now used to this, simply shook their heads. It was quite obvious who had the power in this relationship. Kenshin and the others, however, simply stared.

"ORO!" Kenshin exclaimed again. He nervously looked over at Kaoru, who was eyeing the fallen hanyou with interest. An eyebrow twitched on the agitated hanyou as he jumped back up to glare at an equally irate Misao.

"It's not my fault!" Inuyasha protested to Kagome. "This Weasel Girl is…"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A WEASEL?"

"I am! Weasel! Weasel! Weasel!" He yelled. Miroku sighed within the bokken. Apparently Inuyasha hadn't matured very much in the last few centuries.

"_Inuyasha_…" Kagome warned.

"No, wait! Kagome!" Inuyasha protested.

"Sit boy."

And so, Inuyasha was body slammed yet again. Miroku chose this moment to come to Misao's defense.

"_Inuyasha, I must protest! The lovely Misao does not resemble a weasel!"_

"Exactly!" Misao smirked victoriously. She crossed her arms across her chest and glared down at the prostrate hanyou.

"_Indeed, she resembles a ferret," _Miroku continued.

"WHAT?" she bellowed.

"What's the difference?" Yahiko whispered. Kaoru bent down low to whisper back.

"I think that's the point."

"_Then again," _Miroku started to say. _"Ferrets don't have such fine womanly…"_

"_**MIROKU!"** _Sango finally yelled. All eyes turned to stare at the bow in Kagome's hand. Inuyasha stared at it from his vantage point on the ground before smirking over at the dead monk.

"You're in trouble now, you useless monk. You're wife's here."

"_S..Sango?" _Miroku stuttered.

Aoshi watched with deeply hidden fascination as the possessed bow began to club at the equally possessed bokken. This had to be one of the strangest incidences of his life so far.

"_But Sango!" _Miroku protested loudly. The bow clubbed the wooden bokken again, which was hobbling across the ground.

"_You lecherous monk! Get back here!" _Sango commanded. Miroku continued to hobble the bokken way from her, resulting in a comical chase.

"Hey Yahiko, why don't you go help your ancestor?" Kaoru suggested.

"Which one?"

"I think Sango's got it covered," Kagome said dryly. Inuyasha smirked again before turning to look at Kenshin. The two men exchanged looks before the hanyou finally nodded.

"I think it's time that we went to see Totousai. Your sword still needs to be fixed."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Gojin paused before the metal doors before he pushed them open. The youkai walked in to see Naraku peering at a large map. It didn't take him long to figure out that the map was of China and Eastern Europe.

"My Lord?" he asked.

Naraku looked up from his maps. He glanced over at the two human police officers standing guard before looking back at his incarnation. The snake youkai bowed and knelt before Naraku.

"Don't you realize that this is the Meiji Era?" Naraku pointed out dryly. "There is no more feudal system."

"Yes, I do, My Lord." Gojin continued to bow anyway.

"Good."

A pleased Naraku turned to regard a beautiful woman at his side. He handed her a few signed documents and ordered her to leave. The woman bowed before exiting from the room. Gojin could barely hide his surprise as she left.

"She's a member of the Imperial house!" Gojin exclaimed. Naraku smirked as he took a sip of sake. The letters that he had given her would be read by Emporer Meiji himself. Everything was going as planned.

"Gojin," Naraku said. "It appears that Inuyasha and his friends are away from home. Our hanyou friend has left relatively few people behind to protect the Western Lands."

"But my Lord," Gojin asked carefully. "Isn't part of the Wolf tribe in the Western Lands?"

"The Wolf tribe will be having problems of their own, soon enough," Naraku said. "As will Inuyasha's wench of a daughter." Gojin gave him a questioning look, so he continued. "Inuyasha has plenty of enemies, my dear Gojin. There are plenty of youkai on the Chinese mainland that lost to him and his allies during the Great Youkai War. I've merely convinced some of them to join me."

"Do you wish for me to accompany them, my Lord?" Gojin asked. Naraku briefly looked at a map of the British Isles before smirking at the snake youkai.

"No. Your 'sister' will be accompanying them. I want you to return to Kurashiki. My demonseed is still in the process of being moved. We have some unwanted trespassers heading that way."

"The wolf and the fox?" Gojin questioned.

"Yes, but you should also be wary of the two humans as well. This Sagara Sanosuke shouldn't be a problem, but you should be careful of Saito Hajime. He is nearly the equal of Sesshoumaru's reincarnation, the Battousai." At least he was, before Kenshin's youkai soul began to awaken.

Naraku had taken the time to thoroughly investigate the history of the Meiji Revolution. He had become intrigued by the Ishin Shishi and the Shinsengumi. If he had only been awakened a decade earlier, then he would have turned the civil war to his own advantage.

In fact, he very much would have liked to have employed the services of Shishio Makoto. He was still trying to determine if the former hitokiri had any surviving remains. If he did, then perhaps Shishio could be resurrected like the Band of Seven had been.

Whatever he would have done, he could still act. The Revolution was still very much stamped on the minds of the mortals. He could still use the bloody legacy of the Bakumatsu for his own purposes.

"Gojin. Be off," he ordered.

"Yes, my Lord."

With that, Naraku dipped his pen into a bottle of ink and smiled. Japan was his for the taking. Then after that…

China. Russia. Europe. The Americas.

A sudden idea occurred to him and he halted Gojin. The snake youkai paused at the doorway.

"Gojin, send the Turk in," Naraku ordered. He watched the snake smirk at the mention of the dark sorcerer.

"As you wish, My Lord."

"Gojin, I may very well be sending a new ally to Kurashiki to help you. You may find him…interesting," Naraku said. Gojin raised an eyebrow before he bowed and left. Naraku smirked.

Perhaps there was an even better way to resurrect Shishio that didn't require the use of his ashes.

He smirked again as he turned back to his maps. Who would have guessed at the things that these mortals would accomplish? As soon as he controlled a powerful navy and a strong trade network, the other nations of the world would begin to fall before him. All humans and youkai would have to bow before him.

Then he would truly be the most powerful.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Totousai! Hey, Totousai!"

The old man gave a snort as he was awoken rudely from his nap. He yawned, scratched his nose, stretched, and peered bleary eyed up at the silver haired man glaring down at him.

"Oh. Inuyasha. What brings you here? Did you break the Tetsusaiga again? You young fool, you mustn't be so reckless with it…"

_Bam._

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. "Don't hit Totousai!"

"_Yes, you really are rather reckless at times when it comes to the Tetsusaiga," _Miroku agreed. Inuyasha turned to glare at them before staring irately down at the old man.

"I didn't break the Tetsusaiga," he growled. "I need you to fix Kenshin's sword."

"Who?" Totousai asked.

"Kenshin," Inuyasha said. "He's Sesshoumaru's reincarnation."

Totousai stared at the red haired human. Kenshin silently studied him back as the others gaped at the wrinkled old man. The old youkai eyed first the swordsman's face markings, then the two swords hanging at his side. One of them looked very familiar. The old man scratched his head as he peered more closely at Kenshin.

"Hmm…Sesshoumaru…" Totousai rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Nope, sorry. The name doesn't ring a bell."

_Bam. _A red welt formed on top of the old man's head.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled again. The now irate hanyou narrowed his eyes at the old man.

"You mean to tell me that you _forgot_?"

"Hmm, yes, I'm afraid so."

"You senile old bastard!" Inuyasha fumed. "Don't you even recognize the Tenseiga when you see it?" Totousai rubbed the welt on his head as he peered again at Kenshin. This time, he did actually recognize the sword.

"Ah, I see," Totousai muttered to himself. "How is it that a human can wield the Tenseiga? I made it specifically for Sesshoumaru out of a fang from his and Inuyasha's father." Inuyasha muttered darkly to himself as he raised another fist. However, Yahiko saved him the trouble.

"You crazy old man!" Yahiko yelled as he slammed his bokken down on him. "Inuyasha just told you! Kenshin's the reincarnation of Sesshoumaru!"

"Ah, I see," Totousai said, rubbing yet another welt. "Sesshoumaru, how did you break the Tenseiga? You shouldn't take after your younger brother."

"He didn't break the Tenseiga!" Inuyasha barked. "He broke his sakabatou!"

"His what?" Totousai asked in confusion. Both Inuyasha and Yahiko fumed at the bewildered old man.

"_Oh dear," _Miroku murmured. _"This is getting us no where."_

"_Yes," _Sango agreed. _"I suppose that we or Kagome should take control, as usual."_

"Hey Kagome," Misao whispered. "Can this crazy old guy really fix Kenshin's sword?" A flying rock beamed her in the head.

"Of course I can!" Totousai yelled indignantly. "I made the Tetsusaiga AND the Tenseiga."

"You look like a crazy old man to me!" Misao yelled.

"Misao," Aoshi murmured. "That will do." Misao gave him a surprised look before shutting her mouth. The former Okashira silently watched as Kagome and Kaoru ganged up on Inuyasha and Yahiko. The young boy had a brief battle with his teacher before the priestess effectively stopped the fighting by glaring at them.

As Aoshi himself had learned, Kagome's glares were very effective. He was secretly glad that he didn't also wear an enchanted necklace. The Obiwaban wasn't sure if he could handle being sat like Inuyasha. Unfortunately, for both he and Kenshin however, Misao and Kaoru had both become very interested in the idea of the sit collar.

If Kagome tried to put one on him, he very well might be forced to flee. His sword would unfortunately have no effect on the evil that was called Higurashi Kagome.

Aoshi looked up as he realized that the strange Totousai was now examining Kenshin's broken sakabatou. The former Okashira was still coming to terms with the fact that the Battousai had a youkai soul. However, perhaps it did make sense.

Even so, it was still slightly disturbing to see the youkai marks on his face.

"Hmm," Totousai murmured. "A reverse edged sword. I have never seen a sword like this before. Do you wish me to reverse the edges?"

"No," Kenshin answered. "This one prefers that his sword remain sakabatou."

"You can't kill with a dull sword," Totousai pointed out.

"No, this one can not."

Totousai paused and studied the human for a long time. His eyes seemed to fade inward, as if recalling some long forgotten memory. Then they refocused and studied the other sword hanging at Kenshin's side.

"_Hmm, perhaps you are finally worthy of the Tenseiga,"_ Totousai murmured softly. _"Your father would be pleased."_

"Oro?" Kenshin asked.

"Nothing lad," the old man answered. "Give me a day. I'll have your sakabatou ready by tomorrow."

Kenshin bowed to the old man and watched as he shuffled off to his cave, muttering to himself. _Such a strange old man. _The former hitokiri smiled. He like the old man, there was something very comforting in his strangeness.

"All right!" Yahiko exclaimed. "Your sakabatou's getting fixed!"

"_Yes, and it will be even stronger than before," _Sango replied. _"Kenshin's blade was made by humans. But with Totousai reforging it, it's strength at least be strengthened by tenfold."_

"Oro?" Kenshin asked in surprise. He hadn't expected that. Yahiko stared wide eyed after the old man before looking up at Inuyasha. The hanyou smirked down at the boy before nodding after Totousai.

"The old man's crazy, but Sango's right. Totousai may act like a senile old fool, but his work is beyond compare. Kenshin couldn't ask for a better swordsmith," he said.

Yahiko grinned. Maybe some day he could get Totousai to make him a sakabatou of his own. He blinked as Inuyasha began to follow after the old man.

"Inuyasha?" he asked. The hanyou paused to look first at him, then at the others.

"I'll be right back," Inuyasha said. "I need to speak with Totousai alone."

The others shrugged as they sat down and began to converse. They had much to catch up on. While the others talked, Aoshi stood off by himself and stared at the cave. His fingers unconsciously touched his own weapon as he stared after Totousai.

The old man could increase the strength by tenfold? Perhaps he should consider having the youkai reforge his own blades as well.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey Totousai," Inuyasha said. "I need to talk to you."

Totousai looked up from the now glowing pieces of the sakabatou to regard the hanyou. Unlike usual, the hanyou lord had dropped his usual gruffness. Apparently something was on his mind.

"What?" he asked. Inuyasha dropped to his heels beside the old man and looked at the broken blade. Then, to Totousai's surprise, he plucked several strands of silver hair from his own head and handed it to him.

"These should give the sword even more strength, shouldn't they?" Inuyasha asked. "Mine and Sesshoumaru's swords are made from our father's fangs. My hair should give Kenshin's sword more strength."

"Hmm," Totousai muttered. He took the offered pieces of hair and examined them. "Yes, these should give the sakabatou added strength."

"Yeah, well, just don't tell Kenshin about this," Inuyasha ordered. "I don't want him to know."

Totousai chuckled to himself as he laid the strands of hair down. Leave it to Inuyasha to hide the fact that he cared. The old man looked up from his work as Inuyasha stood up to leave.

"Inuyasha, sit a moment. There is something you must know."

Inuyasha looked back at him in surprise before sitting back down. He crossed his arms and stared boldly at the old man. _So very much like his father, _the old man thought.

"_Well, _what?" the hanyou growled. Totousai blew some fire on the broken sword before he turned to the hanyou lord.

"Inuyasha, you must make sure that Kenshin keeps the Tenseiga with him at all times."

"Huh? Why?" Inuyasha asked. Totousai had an unusually serious expression on his face. The old man heated the blade some more before he answered.

"Inuyasha, you know what happens when you are away from the Tetsusaiga. Your sword holds your youkai blood in check. If you are away from it and in danger, your father's blood takes control of your body. You lose yourself and your human soul is slowly devoured by your youkai half. In that state, the only thing you desire is to kill."

"Yeah?" Inuyasha asked quietly. "And what's this got to do with Kenshin?"

"Kenshin is different, but his situation is not unlike yours. He has Sesshoumaru's soul in a mortal body. During his lifetime, you know how incredibly powerful your brother was. Very few youkai could match him. Now that very same soul is within a frail human body. The very fact that Sesshoumaru's youkai markings have appeared on Kenshin's body shows you how powerful it is."

Inuyasha stared at the old man. He had an uneasy feeling about where this was going.

"Go on," he said. The old man sighed and continued.

"As strong as Kenshin is, the fact is that Sesshoumaru's soul hasn't fully awakened. If and when it does, his mortal body may not be able to handle the sheer power of his own youkai soul. The Tenseiga may very well be what is keeping that soul in check. If separated from it, his fate may very well be like yours. If in a life or death situation, he will become a creature that only knows how to kill and will delight in it. If the very power of his soul doesn't destroy his body first, then Kenshin will fight until he himself is killed."

Inuyasha stared at Totousai for a long time. The sounds of laughter outside reached his sensitive ears, as well as a loud 'Oro!' He sighed before he slowly stood up and looked down at the old man. Then, unexpectantly, he gave the old man a respectful bow and left.

"Thank you Totousai," he said. "I understand why my father commissioned you."

Totousai stared after the hanyou. As childish as the hanyou still acted sometimes, even he was amazed at how much Inuyasha had matured. He was getting more like his father every day. That very thought caused him to smile.

The old man blew more fire on the sword before placing one of Inuyasha's silver strands of hair on the glowing blade. Then he picked up his hammer and went to work.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naraku studied the dark skinned man. The sorcerer claimed to have been born in Istanbul nearly two centuries ago. He had been exiled from the Ottoman Empire by the sultan himself, at the urging of his advisors. Basir had been declared a heretic by the Muslim sultan and supposedly executed.

"Basir," Naraku said. "Can it be done?" The sorcerer smirked darkly as he bowed to the youkai. At last he was able to practice his dark arts, without fear of retribution.

"Yes, Lord Naraku," Basir said. "It can be done." Naraku smiled at that. Shishio Makoto would be resurrected after all.

He couldn't wait until Sesshoumaru crossed paths with the former hitokiri again. It should be…interesting.


	34. Shishio Awakens, Pt I

**RK Quote of the Day: **

_Kenshin: _"Tokio"?  
_Saito: _"My wife."  
_Kenshin and Misao: _"W-W-W-WIFE? YOU'RE **MARRIED?**"  
_Saito: _"Don't worry. Tokio is a good woman. She'll take good care of Eiji."  
_Misao: _"She must be **something**…if she can be **this **guy's wife."  
_Kenshin: _"A veritable Bodhisattva."

**Inuyasha Quote of the Day:**

_Sesshoumaru: _"Unnecessary interference."  
_Kouga: _"It's a mutual feeling."

_**Recap: **When last we saw our quartet of hooligans, they had stopped in the city of Kurashiki. Saito and Shippo realized that Captain Buntaro of the district police office in the city was really a youkai in disguise. Kouga and Sanosuke provided a distraction later on that night so that Shippo and Saito could investigate further. _

_Kouga and Sanosuke, while supposedly inciting a fake Socialist riot, accidentally started a real one. Nearly the whole city rose up in a Socialist revolt. While this was going on, the Shinsengumi wolf and the kitsune discovered that Buntaro was really a kitsune named Yoichi, from the Shadow Fox Clan. Shippo and Yoichi fought, with Shippo winning in the end. He discovered that Naraku had been controlling the other fox with the demonseed. Our four heroes are now heading towards Kurashiki to investigate._

_Shippo's hanyou son, Namu, is still wandering around with Kirara. The young fox is determined to prove that he can be as strong as Inuyasha._

_In the last chapter, we found out that Naraku is in the process of removing his demonseed from Kurashiki, so that it can be placed in another location. Naraku has sent Gojin, one of his new incarnations, to assist in the removal process. He's also made plans to unite Inuyasha's old enemies against him._

_Naraku has also made plans for the resurrection of Shishio Makoto, who he plans to send to Kurashiki in order to assist Gojin._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 34_: Shishio Awakens, Part I

Namu groaned at his stupidity. He had been so obsessed with becoming as strong as Inuyasha, that he had forgotten that tonight was the night that he became human. At least he had Kirara with him now, but it was still idiotic. He should have waited a few more days before leaving the castle.

Kirara mewed up at him. It was still a few hours until nightfall, but she could already sense the change in the young man's body. By the time the crescent moon rose, he would be a mortal.

She hoped that the night would be uneventful.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hajime Saito stomped on ahead of the others, vastly irritated with having let his guard down. He should have known better. He should have known it was coming.

They had stolen his cigarettes.

They had stolen his _cigarettes_!

He heard the other three snicker behind him. Damn them all. They would pay dearly for this. No one touched his cigarettes.

Shippo had cleverly distracted him while Kouga had snuck up behind him, pinned him to the ground, and raced off with his last pack of cigarettes. Then the damned wolf had thrown them down a ravine.

Needless to say, Saito was very _unhappy_. He imagined himself surgically removing all of Kouga's inner organs with his sword. Damn wolf. Damn fox. Damn rooster. He didn't know how he was going to survive without his nicotine. Saito could almost swear that his hands were starting to shake.

He told himself that they were shaking with anticipation. There was going to be a bloody massacre tonight, starting with a certain loud mouthed wolf in a fur kilt.

Then he would crucify Shippo to a tree. Yes, that sounded nice. He would make it very painful. Then he'd beat Sanosuke to a bloody pulp. The rooster already had it coming anyway.

Saito needed to get back to civilization. He couldn't survive without his daily intake of nicotine. It was unnatural. It was torture. It was inhumane.

There was a flash of silver as the main source of his current agitation landed in front of him. Kouga's armor glinted sharply as the wolf smirked at him.

"Feh. You're more upset than I thought you'd be. Stupid human. You'll thank me later. That stuff's poisonous…"

Kouga barely jumped out of the way as Saito threw a punch at him. Then he took off down a nearby hill and jumped over a creek. Shippo shook his head as the irate Hajime Saito chased after Kouga.

Maybe they should have left him at least one cigarette.

Shippo paused suddenly and sniffed the air. Something…was that? No…he was supposed to be back at Inuyasha's castle.

Even so, the very faint scent of his son was still there.

"Shippo?" Sano asked. Shippo sniffed the air again. Yes, it _was_ there. But he couldn't quite tell where it was.

"Kouga!" Shippo yelled. "I need your nose!" Kouga's sense of smell was far superior to his own. Moments later, Kouga was at his side.

"What?" he asked.

"Namu," Shippo answered. "I think I've caught his scent and…." he paused and sniffed again in surprise. "I think Kirara's with him. I just can't tell where…"

Kouga ran up to the top of a nearby hill and paused. He sniffed the air carefully before pointing towards the southwest.

"He's that way!" Kouga yelled. Shippo nodded once and took off. He knew full well what tonight was. Tonight was the night his son turned human.

Namu had better have a good reason for being out here.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naraku closed his eyes as he turned his attention inward. He gave a low hiss before holding out his hand. There was a ripple in his flesh as something surged beneath the surface.

A mass of skin, bones, hair, and blood burst out of his right hand. His hand reverted back to its normal shape as the purged flesh of his new incarnation pulsed briefly before forming itself into a body.

Naraku smirked as he bent down to investigate it. His new incarnation wasn't complete. The body was formed, yes. The spider mark was even present on his back. However, this one was different than his previous incarnations.

This one still lacked a soul.

Which would be remedied very shortly.

"Basir," he said quietly. The dark skinned sorcerer inched forward at the mention of his name. Naraku looked at him before motioning down to the lifeless body on the ground.

"Awaken Shishio Makoto," Naraku ordered. "Now is the time to prove your usefulness. Place his soul in this incarnation of myself, and you will be rewarded."

The Turkish sorcerer nodded his head as he placed his hands over the as of yet lifeless body. He sprinkled magic herbs over the body as he chanted deeply in Arabic. The herbs soon dissolved as a glowing violet mist formed above the body. Sweat ran down the Turk's neck as he chanted even louder.

Basir's hands shook with extreme effort as he finally placed his hands over the body's chest. There was a flash of blinding light as energy suddenly surged into the lifeless incarnation. The Turk's voiced faded as the last strains of his strange chant echoed in the room.

There was a long pause.

The Turk held his breath. His life depended upon whether or not he had succeeded. A finger on the incarnation twitched. Then another finger twitched. Basir let out a sigh of relief as he watched the left hand clench into a fist. Then the eyelashes fluttered briefly before they finally opened to reveal deep crimson irises.

Shishio Makoto had awakened.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Namu!"

Namu paused in shock as his father came charging out of the forest. Damn it. Why hadn't Kirara smelled him…

Damn it. She _must _have smelled him, but had decided not to tell him. Namu felt betrayed.

The young fox shook slightly before clenching his fists. He clenched his teeth together as he glared at Shippo.

"Leave me alone," Namu said through gritted teeth. He saw his father halt in surprise before a flash of anger darkened his face.

"Why are you out here?" Shippo asked angrily. "You're supposed to be at Inuyasha's."

"Well I'm not!"

"Tonight's the night when you…" Shippo faltered before he could say, 'Tonight's the night when you become human!' He didn't smell anyone, but that didn't mean there weren't any unfriendly ears nearby. He wasn't about to accidentally give away when his son became a mortal.

"I can take care of myself!" Namu protested. "I'm not a child!"

"You're _my _child," Shippo warned quietly. "It's too dangerous out here. Go back to Inuyasha's home."

"I'm not a weakling!" Namu yelled. "Just because I'm half human doesn't mean I'm weak! I can take care of myself! If you weren't so judgmental…" His father's green eyes glinted at him and Namu trailed off with shame. He knew that his father looked up to Inuyasha. He had also looked up to Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Kaede. Namu knew that his father wasn't prejudiced when it came to humans.

"Is that what you think?" Shippo asked quietly. "Do you think I look down on you because you're half _human_?" Namu caught the tone of disbelief in his voice and reddened. The young man caught sight of the three men watching them and lowered his eyes.

"No," Namu muttered. "I think you look down on me because I'm not Souten's child. I'm the bastard son that you didn't want. You…" he looked up at his father's stunned face. "You…you've always loved my sisters, but I was a mistake!"

"That…that's not true…" Shippo sputtered. He himself was also self consciously aware of Kirara, Kouga, Saito, and Sano watching them.

"Oh yeah? Then why'd you send me off to Inuyasha? It's because you were too ashamed to have me around!"

"That's not true!" Shippo yelled. "Inuyasha's half human too! He knew better than I what you were going through…"

"I needed a father! Not Inuyasha!" Namu yelled. A stunned Shippo stared at him as the young man turned around and angrily ran into the forest. The kitsune stared after his son as a faithful Kirara ran after him. He barely noticed the sudden presence at his side as he stared blankly in front of him.

"I'll go after him," Kouga said quietly. "Kirara and I will bring him back."

Shippo nodded numbly as he rubbed his eyebrows. They didn't really have a choice now. Namu was going to have to travel with them. Without a word, he vanished into the forest. He needed to be alone to think.

Saito and Sanosuke stared after the anguished fox before looking at each other. The former Shinsengumi raised an eyebrow.

"Seeing as how we won't be moving for a while," Saito pointed out dryly. "Perhaps you should explain what just happened." Sano sighed in irritation as he stuck a blade of grass between his teeth. This was one complication that they really didn't need right now.

"Namu is Shippo's half human son. They don't….exactly get along too well," Sano answered. Saito listened silently to Sanosuke as he stared off into the distance. He could faintly see Kouga walking slowly back with the young man.

As a former Shinsengumi, very few things bothered him. However, now that he now had a wife and two children, the adopted Eiji and his young daughter, he felt deeply disturbed. As a father himself, the hostility between Shippo and Namu troubled him more than he would willingly admit.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"What is this?" Shishio Makoto asked. He stared at his hands and then down at his naked body. There weren't any burn marks. In fact, his body seemed…different. Not just physically, but it also felt stronger. Much stronger.

An amused chuckle made him look up. A long haired man, dressed in an elegant hakama and haori, stared down at him. No, not stared. Studied. A pair of sharp, red eyes were staring intently at him.

"Who are you?" Shishio asked carefully.

"I am Naraku. It was I who had this human resurrect you." _'This human'? _Shishio slowly stood up and scrutinized the man in front of him. He eyed the dark skinned Turk out of the corner of his eye. Every carefully honed instinct he possessed told him that this Naraku was not a man to be crossed. He radiated a darkness that even the Battousai and the Shinsengumi wolf together hadn't possessed.

"You're not human," Shishio stated. Naraku's lips twitched. "Then again," Shishio continued. "Most humans aren't necessarily human. They're either wolves or mere livestock to be trampled on."

"True," Naraku said. "However, your first assumption is correct. I am a youkai. As now are you." Shishio looked down at his body again before narrowing his eyes at Naraku.

"Explain."

Naraku was pleased with the deadly fire he saw in the other man's eyes. However, he also knew that Shishio must realize who in fact was in charge. He narrowed his eyes at the other man and his newest incarnation clutched his chest in pain.

"You are a part of me," Naraku explained coldly. "Your body is an incarnation of mine. I had this sorcerer place your soul within it so that you may serve me." Shishio glared dangerously at him a moment before chuckling darkly.

"I see," Shishio said dryly. "So as long as my flesh is a part of you, then I can not act against you."

"Yes."

The two men stared at each other. Basir slowly back out of the room. He had thought that Naraku was bad enough, but this resurrected human was nearly as dangerous. Their mere presence in the room together was enough to make him quake in fear.

"What is it that you want from me?" Shishio finally asked.

"I want you to kill the Battousai, among others."

A light flared in Shishio's eyes and Naraku smirked. Yes, this man just might do nicely.

"Tell me…more," Shishio said. "But first, perhaps you have some spare clothes?"

"Indeed," Naraku answered. "Then we shall have some tea and speak about the future of Japan."

Intrigued, Shishio followed after him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sanosuke quietly stoked the fire as the stars began to slowly dot the black sky. The group had paused for the night, even though they had originally intended to continue on. A dark mood seemed to have descended upon the group since Shippo and Namu's meeting.

Sano poked the roasting fish as he covertly eyed Shippo. The fox was sitting up in a tree a short distance from the group. A human Namu was sitting under a tree on the far opposite end from his father. He poked the fish again as a nearby Kouga muttered under his breath and tapped his foot impatiently. Saito too, seemed to have withdrawn from the others. He was seated a few meters from the fire, where he had a convenient view of both Shippo and Namu.

Sanosuke kicked a nearby piece of wood at the same time that Kouga sprang up in agitation. An irate Kouga stormed over to the seated Namu at the same time that Sano marched over to Shippo. Saito merely shook his head and stayed put. He turned to look at the youkai cat sitting near the fish.

"You sure put up with a lot," Saito pointed out. Kirara mewed in reply. The former Shinsengumi took that as a yes. At first he had found it strange, and slightly humiliating, to be talking to a cat, even if she was a youkai. However, as he soon realized, Kirara possessed much more intelligence than the average feline house pet.

Saito pointedly ignored the heated arguments taking place to his left and right as he pulled two of the fish off the fire. He placed one on the ground in front of Kirara and took a bite out of his own dinner. Kirara looked down at it and then back at Namu.

"He'll be fine," Saito said. "You'd better eat." Kirara mewed again in reply and set to work on her meal. She knew that Namu was upset with her for having led him to his father. However, the cat knew that it was safer for them to be with the others, especially tonight.

She was also going to do what she could to bring father and son together. As Kirara licked her lips, she knew that Saito Hajime was having similar thoughts. Her instincts told her that this cold human cared more than he let on.

Kirara mewed again and Saito smirked. This cat was far more intelligent than Sanosuke. Then again, perhaps that wasn't saying much. Many people were more intelligent than that rooster.

"Kirara, this is going to be a long journey," Saito observed. Kirara mewed softly in agreement.

"I still have to get those bastards back for my cigarettes," he growled. Kirara wisely chose not to say anything. She had no idea what cigarettes were.

Saito leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes. Between himself, three youkai, a hanyou…even if he was human at the moment, and even a pea brained rooster head, he had little fear of an attack. The former Shinsengumi drifted off into a light sleep.

Kirara transformed into her larger form and sniffed around the area. Satisfied that the area was safe, she curled up near Saito and kept watch.


	35. Shishio Awakens, Pt II

**RK Quote of the Day: **

_Megumi: _"And if I were with _you, _it _would _be a joke."  
_Sanosuke: _"You selling me a fight?"

**Inuyasha Quote of the Day:**

_Sesshoumaru: _"This plan is beneath me. Should it fail, Jaken, you will die."

_**Recap: **In the last chapter, Naraku had succeeded in resurrecting Shishio. He had the Turkish sorcerer, Basir, place Shishio's soul within the body of his new incarnation._

_Shippo and company also ran across Namu and Kirara while on the way to Kurashiki. The kitsune wasn't very happy to find his son out in the middle of no where. Father and son got into a large argument and are currently not on speaking terms, not that they really were before. Kouga and Sanosuke have become reluctant mediators. Saito, as of yet, has said nothing about the matter._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 35_: Shishio Awakens, Part II

Shishio studied his new body in the mirror. It was hard to tell, but his new body seemed a little taller than his old human one. His chin also seemed a little squarer and his nose a little flatter. His shoulder length hair was also the same black color as before. He did like the red eyes and sharper teeth though. They suited him just fine.

Then there was also that spider mark on the back.

He had stared at it for a time before shrugging it off. He possessed a youkai body now, which meant that his fighting skills would be far superior then when he had been a mere human.

Except that Naraku controlled him. Shishio despised that.

Shishio pulled on his juban, and then his crimson kimono. He rather liked the color. It reminded him of blood.

"_The man you know as the Hitokiri Battousai is actually the reincarnation of a youkai lord named Sesshoumaru. He was one of the most powerful youkai."_

"_As powerful as you?" Shishio had questioned dryly. Naraku smirked in reply._

"_What do you think?"_

He tied the sash around his waist and picked up his new sword. The weapon was youkai made; it was much stronger than his last blade. Not that he necessarily needed a sword now. He had new youkai powers that he had yet to try out.

"_I want you to go to Kurashiki. I have…a business investment, you might say, that needs protecting."_

"_A business investment?"_

"_Yes. It may also interest you to know that Saito Hajime and Sagara Sanosuke are heading there now."_

"_Is that so?" Shishio had asked._

"_There are two youkai with them. A wolf and a fox. They should not be taken lightly. However, I expect that you shall have no problems. I will teleport you there when you are ready."_

Shishio couldn't wait to find out what his new body could do.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well, we're in Kurashiki," Sano observed. "Where do we go now?" The group had reached the city by the afternoon of the next day. However, they seemed to be at a loss of where to go next.

Saito resisted the urge to kick Kouga as the wolf sniffed along the ground. He was still sore about losing his cigarettes, even though he had since bought several new packs upon entering the city.

"That way," Kouga finally pointed. "It leads to that castle in the distance."

"You sure?" Shippo asked. Namu looked once at his father, but refused to acknowledge him. He was standing as far back from his father as possible, which put him next to Saito and Kirara.

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Sano asked.

"To make sure it's not a trap," Saito stated matter of factly.

"Yes, that would be the obvious thing, wouldn't it?" Shippo added. Kirara mewed in agreement. Sanosuke folded his arms and scowled darkly.

"Feh," Kouga muttered. "I say we just charge in there." This time Saito did strike him, over the head in fact. As the wolf glared at him, Shippo quickly came to Saito's defense.

"Don't do what Inuyasha would do," Shippo pointed out. Which was true, however, it also had another intended effect on the wolf.

"I'm not as stupid as that mutt face!" Kouga protested.

"I didn't say you were," Shippo continued smoothly. "But perhaps we should try a…less obvious entrance." The wolf muttered at that before finally nodding his head in agreement. Saito found himself being thankful yet again that the fox's intelligence was far above Kouga and Sanosuke's.

If anything, he was also quite the smooth talker.

Which of course, unknown to Saito, was largely a result of Miroku's influence.

Namu gave a start as he realized that his father was looking at him. He gave a defiant glare back, which caused Shippo to sigh.

"Namu," Shippo commanded. "I want you to stay here. Kirara, please stay with him."

"I'm not staying behind!"

"Namu, it's dangerous…"

Namu felt a strong hand on his shoulder and looked up as he as about to protest again. Saito Hajime stared impassively down at him before looking over at the cat. He nodded to himself before looking back at the young hanyou.

"Obey your father," Saito said. Namu opened his mouth, but shut it immediately at a cold glare from the taller man.

"He's right Kid," Kouga added. "It's going to be dangerous. Just think of Kirara and yourself as back up." Namu found it hard to protest when Kirara and all four adults were set on him staying behind.

"Fine," he muttered. He crossed his arms, clearly not happy with this arrangement. The young hanyou gave a start when Saito bent down low to whisper to him.

"_You'll get your chance, but for now, listen to your father. He's a better man than you think. Even I respect him."_

Namu watched in surprise as Saito walked away with the other three, as if he had said nothing. Up until now, Saito Hajime had been the only adult to not get involved with his and his father's feud. Perhaps that was why those two sentences impacted him more than Inuyasha and the others.

"_He's a better man than you think. Even I respect him."_

As Namu had quickly learned, Saito Hajime rarely gave out compliments.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Naraku smiled as he stared out of the office window. Inuyasha would hardly suspect that he had taken up residence in the middle of Tokyo. By the time the hanyou realized it, it would be too late.

He glanced at his pocket watch before stepping away from the window. Marvelous things, pocket watches. Naraku was thoroughly enjoying the new commodities of this age. In fact, in a mere twenty minutes he would riding west on a locomotive. He had even heard of a recent invention that allowed people to talk long distance. What was it called? Ah, yes, a telephone.

He checked his watch again. The fools should be arriving at Kurashiki any minute now. Shishio was already there with Gojin, waiting for them.

Naraku had also received a telegraph from some his new "allies." They had attacked the wolf youkai tribe's lands in the mountains, and were now also launching an assault on the Western lands. _Inuyasha had better decide soon where his priorities lie._

The youkai slipped on his overcoat and headed down the stairs. He had a train to catch.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Amaya paced in agitation as she waited for her scouts to return. Some of her father's old enemies from the Chinese mainland had attacked the wolf tribe, and were now heading here. Nearly thirty members of the tribe had taken refuge in the Western lands.

_They must be allied with Naraku, otherwise they wouldn't dare to attack here._ Her family had allied with the Thunder Youkai tribe, the Shadow Fox Clan, and the Panther Youkai tribe to stop them from invading from China. Why would they attack again?

"No word yet," Megumi said calmly. She had set up a makeshift infirmary in the Great Hall. Young Sango had been helping her treat the injured wolves. The young girl seemed to have a talent for medicine. Megumi reminded herself to speak with the child about that later.

"I'm worried about Namu," Amaya admitted grudgingly.

"I'm sure he's fine," the doctor said. "Wherever he is, he's probably safer than here." Amaya nodded her head reluctantly, trusting the woman's judgment. She and Megumi had become surprisingly good friends in the short time they had come to know each other.

"When they attack," Megumi said. "Will you be able to hold them off?"

"Feh," Amaya growled. "I'll rip those bastards to pieces." She cracked her fingers in anticipation. Like Inuyasha, she enjoyed a good fight. In fact, it was at times like this that she bore an uncanny resemblance to her father.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I don't like this," Kouga muttered. "There's nothing here. The whole place is empty."

"Something _was _definitely here though," Shippo added. "You smell that?"

"Yeah, it's the same smell that was around that strange spider you killed. You can smell it underneath all the youkai scents."

Saito, in the meantime, was studying the gaping hole in the outer wall. Part of the corridor had collapsed from some explosion. While he was doing this, Sanosuke was looking at the long, black scorch marks that ran across the stone flooring.

"That mutt face was here," Kouga said. "His and Kenshin's scents are pretty strong in this area."

"Kenshin?" Sano asked. Shippo began to study the damaged hallway before walking up to the hole next to Saito.

"It looks like Inuyasha used his Wind Scar," the fox added.

"Yeah," Kouga agreed. "Whoever he used it on must have got away though. Inuyasha and Kenshin's scents lead away from the castle." Saito and Sanosuke exchanged looks. For Kenshin to have been here…then this place must have been important to Naraku.

"What do we do now?" Sano asked. "We haven't found very much."

"We've found enough," Shippo said. "Kenshin and Inuyasha obviously had a reason for being here. I say we search the entire castle before leaving. We might find something they missed, or at least to tell _us _what was here."

"Agreed," Saito said. "Perhaps we should split up. You go with the rooster and I'll go with the wolf."

"Split up?" Sano asked suspiciously. "It'd be faster if we all went our separate ways."

"Yes," the former Shinsengumi replied dryly. "However, you and Kouga are bound to miss some important detail. You'll most likely destroy some vital piece of evidence if left to your own devices. Shippo at least I can trust to be intelligent enough to leave the castle intact."

"Hey!" Sano and Kouga protested. Shippo smirked as he grabbed the human by the collar and proceeded to drag him down the corridor.

"Come on Rooster, let's go."

"Let me go you stupid fox!"

Saito smirked as Sanosuke received a smack to the head. He turned around and expected an equal protest from the wolf. Kouga, however, glared a moment before stalking down the hallway, muttering under his breath.

"_Call me stupid, will he? I'll show the bastard…"_

The policeman smirked as he stuck a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. Blessed nicotine.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Namu idly kicked a nearby rock. He didn't understand why he couldn't go inside. Didn't they trust him?

"_He's a better man than you think. Even I respect him."_

As much as he tried to shut them out, Saito's parting words kept reechoing in his mind. Had he perhaps misunderstood his father? After all, an unexpected half human son couldn't have been an easy task to undertake.

No.

He still shouldn't have sent him off to Inuyasha. Namu liked Inuyasha, he admired him, viewed him as a father even. However, it was Shippo that should have been there for him, not Inuyasha.

He had needed _his _father, not just a father figure.

Namu froze suddenly as Kirara began to growl dangerously. His fox ears pricked up as they caught the approaching, nearly silent footsteps.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

The young man leapt out of the way just as a transformed Kirara sailed by him and sank her teeth into a youkai. Namu swore with the realization that they had somehow been surrounded.

"Kirara!" he yelled. The youkai cat roared as she charged the attackers. Namu managed to kill one of the youkai before he leapt onto Kirara's back. The cat gave another enraged roar before taking to the sky.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kouga paused briefly and tilted his head. He listened again before whipping around.

"What?" Saito asked.

"I just heard Kirara. Something's going on outside. I think there's a battle."

Saito was immediately sprinting down the flight of steps they had been on, followed closely by Kouga. Instinct caused him to roll into a side room, as something whipped passed him. He heard a crash, followed by the yell of an irate Kouga.

He emerged back into the stair well to see that they now had company. A strange, bald youkai was facing off against Kouga.

"Get out of our way, snake," Kouga warned. He bared his teeth threateningly. Saito withdrew his katana and stepped behind the youkai, effectively placing the snake between him and Kouga.

"My name is Gojin," the youkai hissed. "Be so kind as to use it wolf."

"You have made a grave error," Saito said. "You have just picked a fight with not one, but two wolves."

"As if I would fear a mere _human_."

Saito smirked mirthlessly to himself. _You underestimate me. _He was about to prove to him the fatality of that misjudgment.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Oblivious to what was happening above, Shippo and Sanosuke made their way deep below the castle. They had discovered a secret entrance that, according to Shippo, had reeked of that strange smell. Curiously enough, as he told Sanosuke, he also smelled the faint traces of two humans, a man and a woman, within the passage. Little did they know that these two scents belonged to Aoshi and Misao.

"How far do you think this goes?" Sano asked.

"I don't know," Shippo admitted. "But the smell gets stronger the further we go." Sanosuke nodded and plugged his nose. Even he was able to smell the ghastly odor.

"This is worse than Saito's damn smoke sticks," Shippo muttered. The smell was making him nauseous.

After a few more minutes, the two men entered a large, high vaulted room. It was completely empty.

"There's nothing here," Sano complained.

"But something was," Shippo added, and then paused. "Sano, we're not alone."

"What?"

Shippo pulled out his sword, which was now glowing a bright violet. The fox grimly pointed up at the ceiling. There, hanging in the shadows, was a male youkai. Sanosuke swore under his breath.

"Why didn't you smell him fox?"

"I couldn't. This room completely covered up his scent." Which meant that he had been waiting here for them.

"Who the hell are you?" Sano called out. He was answered by a low chuckle. Something about that voice caused the hairs to rise on the back of his neck. Shippo responded by sending a blast of green foxfire up at the ceiling. The man merely jumped down before the fire could hit him.

"We've met before Sagara Sanosuke, don't you remember? I fought with the Battousai."

Sanosuke froze. He didn't recognize the face, but the voice was distinctly familiar.

"_Shishio,"_ he whispered hoarsely. But it was impossible. Shishio was dead. Shippo gave him a sharp look before glaring back at the youkai.

"You _know _him Sano?"

"I…he can't be. Shishio died while fighting Kenshin!"

"Yes, indeed I did," Shishio replied. "But Naraku had the kindness to resurrect me and give me this new, youkai body. It's so much better than a pitiful, human body. Don't you agree?"

"Shippo," Sano muttered. "We're in trouble."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Gojin hadn't expected this kind of resistance from the human. He had expected the wolf to be trouble, but not the mortal. The snake youkai opened his mouth and spat out a liquid substance at the human. Saito rolled out of the way as it ate through the stone wall behind him.

"Watch it Saito," Kouga warned. "He can spit acid."

"I've noticed," Saito replied dryly.

"Look snake, we're going to kill you anyway, so just tell us where Naraku is," the wolf commanded. Gojin hissed in reply before shedding his skin and lunging at the wolf. Kouga was completely caught off guard as the large, transformed snake bit into his left leg.

Saito quickly took the opportunity to slice into the snake's belly. However, a burning sensation on his hands caused him to jump back. Acid had immediately poured out of the youkai's open wound. To his dismay, he realized that it was eating away at his sword.

Kouga growled as he brought his claws down into the snake's head, ignoring the poisonous acid. After several more strikes, the snake finally let go of his leg and backed off.

"You okay?" Saito asked.

"I'll be fine," Kouga panted. "The acid doesn't bother me as much as it does you." It was true, but Saito was still concerned. The bite on his leg looked very nasty. The wolf wasn't even putting any pressure on it, but was instead balancing on his good leg.

Kouga's eyes widened suddenly in surprise as he spotted the spider mark on the giant snake's back.

"Son of a…this bastard is one of Naraku's incarnations," he growled. Saito raised an eyebrow.

"Incarnations?" he asked.

"I'll explain later. Let's kill him first," the wolf growled.

"Agreed."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sanosuke gave a grunt of pain as he was thrown back into the wall. Damn it all. Shishio as a human had been bad enough, but Shishio as a youkai? Even Sano wasn't totally optimistic about this fight.

"How disappointing. You have improved little since our last meeting," Shishio stated. "You're not even worth my effort." That caused Sanosuke's blood to boil. Not worth his effort?

Sano unstrapped the Hiraikotsu from his back that Shippo had given him. The fox had explained to him how Sango had originally used the weapon, but he himself hadn't yet learned to throw the weapon properly.

But that didn't stop him from using it as a blunt object.

Or as a shield for that matter.

Sanosuke whipped the weapon in front of him just as a blast of energy forced him back. He muttered darkly as he watched Shippo battle Shishio. As much as he hated to admit it, he was out of his league. He would have to wait for an opportunity to attack, when Shishio had forgotten about him.

Shippo growled softly to himself as he blocked the other man's blade. He had learned his swordsmanship from Sango and Inuyasha, but this man's skill level was far above what he had learned.

Not only that, but Shishio's new found speed and strength didn't help him either. When it came to swordsmanship, Shippo knew was outmatched.

With that realization, he decided to change tactics. Foxes were best known for their trickery. That was how he was going to have to fight.

Shishio narrowed his eyes as the fox apparently split into five different mirror images of himself. He attacked the nearest Shippos and found to his surprise, that all five images disappeared with several pops, leaving five leaves in their places.

Where was he…

Shishio's new, enhanced instincts saved him from being hit by a wave of hot foxfire. He whipped around again, but the fox was no where to be seen.

Ah, yes, of course. He remembered now. Naraku had said that he was a shapeshifter.

"You can't hide forever fox," Shishio pointed out. "Your tricks will only delay the inevitable for so long."

His new instincts alerted him again, but this time, Shishio couldn't move. The entire floor had been blanketed with some strange, sticky substance, which had effectively glued his feet to the ground.

A sharp pain dug into his shoulder as a great, red furred fox bit into him, ripping out a chunk of flesh.

Shishio chuckled wryly as he fended off the next attack and wiped his bleeding shoulder. The kitsune backed off and swished his tail in agitation.

"I see," Shishio said. "That must be your true form. Quite clever really, sabotaging the floor while distracting me with that green fire of yours. However, you won't be able to use that trick again."

"No, I expected not," Shippo admitted. He had transformed back into his more human form. He wiped the blood from his mouth.

"I really must give you some credit. Had I still been human, then I most likely would be dead. I am curious though. How strong has the Battousai become since my death?"

"I don't think that's your concern right now," Shippo growled. "You still have to deal with me."

"Of course," Shishio smirked. "However, are you aware that while you fight me in here, your son is, at this very moment, battling for his life?"

Shippo froze, which was the very opportunity that that Shishio had wished to exploit. The fox barely caught the blade as it pressed down at his chest.

"Sano!" Shippo yelled. "Find Namu!"

"What? And leave you here with Him?"

"Do it, damn it! Protect my son!"

Sano clenched his fists before running out into the dark corridor and up into the castle. Damn it all. He had to find the others. Sanosuke hoped that the fox had several more tricks up his sleeve, because if he didn't…

He picked up his speed. First he had to find Namu.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Namu and Kirara had decided to enter the castle. The cat's roars could be heard echoing down the hallway as she charged through the winding corridors, Namu still seated on her back.

The young hanyou wasn't sure where they were heading until he heard the sounds of fighting up above. His ears twitched as they picked up Kouga and Saito's voices.

Moments later, the pair burst into a now devastated stairwell as Saito slashed at a giant snake. A heavily bleeding Kouga was down on one knee, clutching his side. Much of his skin seemed to have been burned.

Saito too, had several burn marks, though none as bad as Kouga's. The wolf had borne the brunt of the attacks.

Kirara sank her teeth deeply into the snake's neck. She gave a howl of pain as acid ate into her mouth, but she boldly held on.

"Kirara! Namu!" Kouga bellowed. Kirara gave a roar of rage as she bit deeply into the snake and managed to nearly rip the head from its body. Saito immediately finished the job by using what remained of his sword to slice through the rest of Gojin's "neck" and severed the spinal cord.

Kirara gave a soft mew as she reverted to her small form and curled up weakly in Namu's arms. The acid had hurt her deeply. Saito eyed the snake corpse irately as Kouga stumbled to his feet.

"Can you walk?" Saito asked him.

"I'll manage," Kouga muttered. "That damn bastard." Namu waited for a rebuke. After all, he was supposed to have stayed outside the castle. However, the rebuke never came. Saito merely told him to help Kouga walk. Namu surrendered the weakened Kirara to Saito and placed his arm around the wolf.

"We'd…better find the others," Kouga panted. "I doubt we're the only ones who had a surprise."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Shippo felt a flash of pain as Shishio's sword cut through his right arm. His sword clattered to the ground. The fox leapt back away from his attacker and held his bleeding stump of an arm. Shishio stopped his advance as the kitsune's eyes glowed a furious, bright red.

Shishio Makoto was not a stupid man. The fox was injured, disarmed, and fearful of his son's life. It was a cornered animal that was the most dangerous.

He was right.

At that moment, Shippo transformed himself into a giant, green scaled dragon. The very stone walls cracked and splintered around the growing size of the fox. Hot, green fire sizzled in the room, turning it into smoldering inferno.

Shishio smirked. Now he could finally test out his new powers. He had to be careful of course. Naraku didn't want the fox dead.

He wanted him alive.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Rooster! Where's the Fox?" Saito demanded. At that moment, the whole castle shook violently. Sanosuke, who had raced towards them, was still panting from exhaustion.

"It's Shishio," he gasped. "Naraku resurrected him! He gave him a youkai body. Shippo's fighting him now."

A stunned Saito Hajime swore under his breath and unsheathed his sword. He was more than ready to join Shippo in the fight.

Unfortunately, the castle seemed to be coming down around them. The very walls were crumbling as they stood in indecision.

"Where's Shippo?" Kouga demanded weakly. Even though he was badly injured, the wolf was anxious to fight this Shishio character.

"At the bottom, under the castle," Sano said quickly. It was at that very moment, however, that the floor gave out underneath them. With the whole castle coming down around them, it was all they could do to struggle out into the open air. The ragged group stumbled out into the sunlight and away from the crumbling debris.

It turned out that the group was lucky to escape when they did. As soon as they had emerged from the broken castle, the stones had simply vanished. All that remained was a deep, burned out pit and small traces of fading green fox fire.

"FATHER!"

"Namu! Wait!" Sano yelled. The young hanyou ignored him as he put Kouga down and raced down into the pit and stared.

There, still gripping the Kadouki, lay his father's severed arm.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Author's Note: Oh no! Cliffhanger! Don't worry, the fate of Shippo shall be revealed in the near future. _

_Next chapter: The Sakabatou Reforged_


	36. Sakabatou Reforged

_**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delayed update. I was hoping to update before Christmas. I was having computer problems. I will soon be getting internet access at home, so I should be able to update at a quicker rate._

_**Recap: **In the last chapter, Saito, Sano, Kouga, Shippo, Namu, and Kirara made their way to Kurashiki castle. While they were here, Naraku had youkai attack the wolf tribe in the mountains. Those same forces are now poised to attack the Western Lands. Inuyasha and Kagome's daughter is trying to prepare for the upcoming battle. Meanwhile, back at Kurashiki, our group encountered a battle of their own. Kouga and Saito managed to kill Gojin, an incarnation of Naraku, with Kirara's help. While this was going on, Shippo and Sano faced off against the resurrected Shishio Makoto._

_Sano left under orders from Shippo to protect his son. In his search for the young fox, he was reunited with the rest of their group. Before they could go help Shippo, the castle collapsed around them and the stones __mysteriously vanished without a trace. Deep in the burned out pit that had been under the castle, all Namu __and the others could find of Shippo was his severed arm and sword._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 36:_ Sakabatou Reforged

Namu stared down at the sword in his hand. His father's arm lay on the ground at his side. The others had spent the last hour scouring the area, trying to find any other trace of Shippo. The sun was already setting and the day was growing darker. It would be night soon. After a long moment, he put down the sword and began to wrap the severed arm with several magic leaves.

"What are you doing?" Sano asked, somewhat disgusted.

"My father's arm can be reattached," Namu explained. "I'm putting special leaves around it to protect it." Sano studied him for a moment before smirking half heartedly.

"I guess Shippo probably would want his arm back," he said. Namu didn't reply as he placed another leaf around the arm. He only looked up when Saito, Kouga, and Kirara joined them again.

"No sign," Kouga admitted gruffly. "His smell just vanished, I hate to admit it, but he might be..." The wolf swallowed his words. He wasn't quite ready to admit that the fox might be dead.

"There's no sign of Shishio either," Saito added thoughtfully. "Either they both were killed, which I doubt, or they both managed to escape." The other three looked at him in surprise. The former Shinsengumi gave an irritated sigh as he explained himself.

"We found Shippo's arm and sword in the pit, _right_?" he asked. Kouga and Sanosuke nodded in agitation. However, Namu suddenly realized where the tall man was going.

"If my father's arm survived whatever happened, then they should have too! They couldn't have been destroyed if the arm survived the blast." Saito smirked at him. Apparently the young man _had _inheritated some of his father's intelligence.

"So where exactly does that leave us?" Kouga asked. "We have no idea where to start looking."

"Wait, I just remembered something," Sano said suddenly. The others looked at him and he continued. "When Naraku was first released from the Toukijin, this youkai lady named Raizel had grabbed him and disappeared. Inuyasha and Shippo had said she had used teleportation." Kouga growled at that.

"Damn him, but that does make sense. Someone had appeared in Inuyasha's castle and stolen Kagome's ashes. But before we could catch them, they had disappeared. Wait a..." The wolf paused suddenly in shock. They had suspected that Naraku had stolen Kagome's ashes, but something had just occurred to him. Kagome had once told him that a priestess named Kikyo had been resurrected from her ashes. Was Naraku planning to bring Kagome back?

"That bastard," Kouga growled. Even though he loved his wife Ayame, he was also still more than a little in love with Kagome. If Naraku did anything to hurt her...

"Calm down," Saito commanded, whacking the wolf in the head. "Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it with a calm head. Rushing around in a mad rage will only get us killed." He relit his cigarette before finally picking up the sword at Namu's feet. Saito carefully examined it before handing it to the young hanyou.

"Take your father's sword," he ordered. "It's your duty to kill those who would harm him and those you care for." Namu tentatively reached out and grasped the handle. The Kadouki glowed a bright green at his touch before lying dormant again. A youkai sword was always choosy about it's wielder. Apparently the sword was willing to allow him to use it.

"I want to find my father," Namu stated firmly. "I want to kill this Shishio guy."

"Then let's be off," Saito said matter of factly. "We have a lot of work to do."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was nighttime again. It was taking Totousai a day longer than anticipated to finish the sakabatou. This may have been due to the fact that he had also agreed to reforge Aoshi's blades as well. It was to everyone's surprise that Inuyasha had only threatened the old man twice. The hanyou lord was impatient to be off, but he also knew the importance of a well forged sword. He could wait one more day. But only one.

Kenshin had cooked that night, using what small provisions they had. Inuyasha had brought back some wild game that they had cooked over the fire. The company had then spent the night deciding on their next move. Aoshi, Misao, and Kagome had told the others about Naraku's demonseed and the giant spider that had given birth to them.

They had eventually decided to head back to Kurashiki in the morning, unless another idea arose. Inuyasha doubted that they would find anything that he and Kenshin hadn't seen before. Naraku had already deserted the castle. The hanyou was tempted to return to the Western lands or to Tokyo. Shippo was supposed to be sending a message to Inuyasha any day now to update him on their search.

Kenshin was having a difficult time going to sleep. Misao, Yahiko, and Kaoru were already asleep. Aoshi had spent some time meditating and was currently keeping a look out. Kagome and Inuyasha were sitting a ways off with Sango and Miroku, having a private moment together.

He closed his eyes and attempted to sleep again. He had conquered the Battousai within himself a year ago, or so he had thought. The hitokiri had been defeated until Sesshoumaru had begun to awaken. Kenshin was slowly beginning to realize that the Battousai was in fact a reflection of his youkai spirit. He had often been called the Demon of Kyoto. Now, Kenshin realized, the term was more literal than his enemies had realized.

It terrified him.

It was at moments like this that he really wished for some of his sensei's wisdom. Hiko Seijuro had raised him. Had he ever suspected anything? When all of this was over, Kenshin planned to pay his master a visit. After a time he finally drifted into an uneasy sleep. Memories returned to him. Unwanted memories.

_"You're wrong! Enishi, if this one committed a crime, this one should be punished! Anything else is no longer revenge...it's murder! Tomoe may wish for revenge, but surely not murder!" Kenshin yelled. He grunted in pain as Enishi's revolver struck his head._

_**"Don't speak about my sister! What do you know about her?"**_

_She was my wife, _Kenshin thought in his dream. _I loved her. I didn't mean to kill her! _The image of a dying Tomoe melted into that of Kaoru. A horrified Kenshin reached out for her as Naraku crushed her neck and broke her spine. _No! **Kaoru! **_The image of a suffering Kaoru shifted again, this time into the image of a little girl.

_The boy had tried to kill her. He grasped the child by the throat and glared impassively at him. Rin was safe now, he had arrived just in time. Sesshoumaru wondered at the blank pleading in the boy's eyes. Was he wanting him to end his life? Was he asking for death?_

_"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha yelled. "Put the boy down!" He regarded his younger brother for a long moment before peering out of the corner of his eyes at the wide eyed Rin. Then he looked back at this boy, this servant of Naraku. He could feel three pairs of eyes on him...Rin, Inuyasha, and the strangely garbed priestess._

_Sesshoumaru dropped the boy._

Kenshin tossed and turned as memories of the Bakumatsu again emerged. Blood, so much blood for peace. How many had he killed? Too many...too many...

Other images floated in his mind. Memories from long ago. Memories of the poor boy named Shinta. Memories of poverty, fear, slavery... Memories of wars, of great wars involving scores of youkai. They had fought with his father to repel the Panther tribe from the west. They had fought with him to repel them a second time...and most of them had died. He remembered. He had half hoped that Inuyasha would show up. He had despised his half human brother, but he was still their father's son. He should have been there. He should have...

But Inuyasha hadn't been there. He'd been been placed under a spell by a mortal priestess. Sesshoumaru didn't care for humans, they were foul and couldn't be trusted. His brother, half youkai that he was, had been tricked and ensnared by a human. She had pinned him to a tree for fifty years. He didn't trust humans. They were more like wild animals, fighting and scrounging in the dirt for survival. Humans were pitiful creatures.

_Rin!_

He _hated _them! His father had taken a _mortal _for a wife! A _human _as a replacement for his _mother_! He hated them!

_Rin!_

Except for Rin, the human girl had been different than the rest. He had cared for her, as much as he himself had been capable of. Sesshoumaru had never been able to show it, had never known how, but he had loved the child as a daughter. It was all the other humans who had been...

_Tomoe! Kaoru!_

All the other humans who were...

_Yahiko. Sanosuke. Megumi...so many others. So many faces..._

_I hate them._

_No..._Kenshin thought. _I don't...I can't. They are why this one continues to live. They are the ones that this one must protect! _

There was silence. Then...

A strange woman appeared. She had silver hair and ice blue eyes. A crescent moon adorned her forehead as twin red stripes slashed across each cheek. His mother.

_"Who are you? What is your name?" _she asked.

_"My name is Sesshoumaru, Mother..."_

_No! My name is Shinta! _

_No! I'm Hitokiri Battousai!_

_This one is Kenshin! Himura Kenshin!_

_"Who are you?" _This time, it was a red haired woman asking him. She seemed familiar, but the face was blurred. _"Who are you? What is your name?"_

_"I'm Shinta!" he yelled. The small girl appeared again. She smiled brightly and held a bouquet of wild flowers out to him._

_"This is for you, Lord Sesshoumaru!" _Other familiar voices began to present themselves.

_"Kenshin, hey Kenshin!"_

_"Battousai!"_

_"Sesshoumaru, you Bastard!"_

_"Damn you to Hell, Battousai!"_

_"Uncle Kenny!"_

_"Shinta."_

_"Sir Ken!"_

_"Lord Sesshoumaru!"_

_**"Who am I?"**_

Kenshin awoke in a cold sweat. He realized that Aoshi was looking over at him with hidden concern. Kenshin flashed him a weak smile before walking over and taking over his sentry duty. He wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep for a while. Aoshi gave him a considering look before leaving to sleep. He had heard Kenshin muttering in his dreams. Aoshi had seen the look of utter confusion on the swordman's face when he woke up.

He wouldn't ask though. Aoshi knew better than to pry into another man's private thoughts. The Obiwaban had an idea though. _"Who am I?" _he had heard him cry. Aoshi was surprised that the others hadn't woken up. He thought he had seen Inuyasha look over at him, but he wasn't sure in the dark. The Obiwaban lay awake for an hour before falling asleep, leaving the former Ishin Shishi to face his ghosts alone.

Kenshin fed the fire before gazing up at the stars. His dream had not faded, but was still very vivid in his mind. _Who am I?_

He didn't have an answer.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Kenshin, are you alright?" Kaoru asked in concern. The swordsman, except for Inuyasha and Aoshi, had been the only one up and about when she opened her eyes. Kenshin's eyes appeared distant as he prepared breakfast. He shot her an innocent smile that Kaoru immediately saw through. He was suffering, but being typical Kenshin, he was pretending that nothing was wrong.

"This one is fine, that he is," Kenshin said. Kaoru saw Inuyasha and Kagome exchange glances and realized that she wasn't the only one who had noticed. Even Aoshi had a fleeting moment of concern in his eyes. Kaoru sighed as she decided how to get him to talk. She decided to use her usual method.

She beat him over the head with her bokken.

"Oro?"

"Stop pretending everything's okay!" She yelled. "You've been acting gloomy."

"He always acts gloomy," Yahiko yawned. "He's just more gloomy than usual." However, even the boy was concerned. He didn't like the tired look in the swordman's face.

"This one is fine," Kenshin protested, then to avoid another beating, he admitted, "This one just did not sleep well, that is all." Kaoru lowered her weapon. She knew Kenshin was determined not to say anything else yet. She could beat on him all she wanted, but the stubborn man would only speak his mind when he chose to. She would have to wait.

_"Let us hope that Totousai is finished," _Miroku said. He was now back in Yahiko's sash after spending the evening with Sango, Kagome, and Inuyasha.

"He'd better be finished," Inuyasha growled. "If he isn't..."

_"Then Kagome will sit you before you can hit him," _Sango finished. Kagome nodded her head in agreement. Inuyasha gave a 'feh' before relenting slightly.

"Fine, but I'm still going to go check on the old coot." Inuyasha, it turned out, didn't have to go check on him. Totousai came shuffling out of his cave with all three swords in hand. First he handed the kodachis back to Aoshi, who inspected them carefully. The craftsmanship was remarkable. Then Totousai handed the reforged sakabatou to the waiting Kenshin.

Kenshin withdrew the sword. It glowed a faint silvery blue in his hand. It was strange, but he felt a comforting presence from the sword, as if it was an old friend. He felt a strange connection with the sword, a connection that he had only experienced with the Tenseiga.

It was as if the sword was calling to him.

"How do you like it?" Totousai cackled proudly. "It's name is the Tenya. I believe it will serve you well as long as YOU DON'T BREAK IT!"

"I thought it was supposed to be unbreakable," Aoshi said coolly.

"The Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga are the most powerful swords I have ever made, but Inuyasha still insists on breaking his sword!"

"Shut up you old man! It's not like I mean to do it, it's your fault for..."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha shut up, knowing full well who was the true authority figure. If he continued, all he would get was a sit.

Kenshin resheathed the Tenya. His hand paused over the Tenseiga as he felt it pulse at his side. He looked down at it curiously before drawing it. _What do you want this one to do? _He asked it silently. _What are you trying to say? _The sword pulsed stronger as he held it in front of him.

_"Kenshin?" _Sango asked.

"The Tenseiga is reacting to something," Totousai observed curiously. "I believe it wants you to do something Kenshin." Kenshin stared at the sword. What did it want him to do? With a jolt, he suddenly realized what the sword wanted.

"Lady Kagome, please don't be alarmed," Kenshin said.

"Huh?" Kagome asked. She nearly jumped in surprise as Kenshin brought the Tenseiga down in an arc at her. Inuyasha growled automatically as he gripped the Tetsusaiga. The Tenseiga never touched her. A bright blue light flew from the sword and enveloped her whole body.

"What did you..." Inuyasha started to growl.

_"Calm down Inuyasha," _Miroku said. _"Remember, the Tenseiga can't kill. I believe Kenshin is bringing Kagome back to life." _Inuyasha looked at his wife in surprise and realized that the dead monk was right. Kagome's clay body had been made from her ashes. The Tenseiga was rejuvenitating the dead organic material.

Kagome gave a gasp as she felt her whole body tingle. Inuyasha watched in amazement as he saw a warm blush creep across her cheeks. He sniffed once and smelled not graveyard soil, but human flesh and blood. Without a second thought, he wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her warm lips.

Kenshin resheathed the Tenseiga and smiled. He should have thought of that before. His eyes widened suddenly as his vision blurred. For a few seconds, he found himself kneeling on a forest floor, cradling a young girl with his one arm as it held the Tenseiga.

One arm?

He looked down at the girl again and realized who she was. _Rin. _He ignored a protesting Jaken as he helped the resurrected girl to sit up. She looked around before gazing up at him. Then she smiled.

"Kenshin? Are you okay?" Misao asked. "You spaced out."

Kenshin blinked and waved his hands. The others were all looking at him strangely, including Totousai. Kenshin smiled weakly and waved them off again, assuring them that he was fine.

"You look kinda pale to me," Inuyasha said.

"This one if fine, really," Kenshin repeated. "Perhaps we should eat breakfast, that we should." Kenshin gave a hidden sigh of relief as everyone else dug into their meal. However, Inuyasha kept glancing at him from time to time, until the hanyou finally gulped down his meal and stood up.

"Kenshin, I need to talk to you," he said.

_"Inuyasha, at least wait until the man's done eating,"_ Sango said.

"No, this one is fine," Kenshin replied. He wasn't that hungry anyway. The swordsman set down his bowl and walked off with Inuyasha.

"What do you think that's all about?" Misao wondered. Kagome watched silently as the two men wandered off. She, Sango, and Miroku had spent most of the night discussing Kenshin. They had finally persuaded the stubborn hanyou that he needed to have a serious talk with his brother's reincarnation.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Kagome murmured. Then she dug into a bowl of her own, the first time that she had been able to eat since her resurrection. It was so unfair...Kenshin cooked better than she did.

Kenshin and Inuyasha stood silently off in the distance. Neither of them knew what to say, so Inuyasha finally decided to start with small talk. He persuaded Kenshin to use the Tenya to spar with him. Kenshin noticed that his sword's glow matched the color of Inuyasha's hair, but didn't think anything of it. Inuyasha found himself increasingly impressed with the other man's swordsmanship.

"I think you use a sword better than Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha finally admitted. They had paused after nearly a minute of fighting. The hanyou studied him carefully before continuing on. "I don't just mean his skill either," Inuyasha said. "You use the sword that protects people...all people. Sesshoumaru only protected the few people close to him." Inuyasha watched as Kenshin stared distantly at his sword before resheathing it.

"Inuyasha," Kenshin paused. "Where...is Aun?" The hanyou gave a start. He didn't think he had ever mentioned Sesshoumaru's two headed youkai pet. Well, he wasn't sure if Aun had ever been a pet to Sesshoumaru, but the beast had traveled with him.

"Aun stayed with Rin and her children until they died," Inuyasha explained. "Then they came to the Western lands where they became my children's pets. They died protecting Amaya during the Great Youkai War." He watched as Kenshin's eyes briefly flashed golden as he considered this.

"You remember, don't you?" Inuyasha asked quietly. Kenshin hesitated before answering.

"Some, yes. This one doesn't remember very much, that he doesn't."

"Is that why you can't sleep?" Another hesitation on Kenshin's part, then...

"Partially. This one has not exactly had an easy life, Inuyasha. This one's parents died when he was young and he no longer remembers them. This one also lived in poverty and was for a brief time captured by slavers when he was a child," Kenshin explained quietly. Inuyasha was looking at him with surprise.

"A...a slave?"

"Yes, though this one's sensei, Hiko Seijuro, rescued him and started to teach him the Hiten Mitsurugi at age ten. Kenshin...isn't this one's birth name. He was born with the name of Shinta, that he was. Master Hiko said that Kenshin was a far more suitable name for a swordsman."

Kenshin looked down at his hands before finally kneeling on the ground. Inuyasha sat down on his haunches and continued to listen.

"This one joined the patriots in the Meiji Revolution against his master's wishes, that he did. This one was known as the Hitokiri Battousai, a feared member of the Ishin Shishi. Much blood was spilled from this one's sword, that is why he has taken a vow to no longer kill. This one chooses to wield the sword that protects people so that he might redeem his past sins."

They sat quietly for a long time as Inuyasha stared at the red haired man. It was true that he hadn't known anything about Kenshin besides the stories he had heard of the Battousai, but he hadn't expected that. He stared out into the distance as he finally began to speak, so quietly that Kenshin at first thought he was talking to himself.

"I was alone as a kid too," Inuyasha said. "I never knew my father and my mother died when I was young. I was reviled and ignored by both humans and youkai. No one likes a half breed. Even Sesshoumaru despised me, though now that I think of it, I can't help but wonder if my human blood was really the only reason. Anyway, the first person who really accepted me and cared about me was a priestess named Kikyo."

Kenshin listened quietly as Inuyasha finally told him about Kikyo and Kagome. As the former Ishin Shishi listened, he couldn't help but be reminded about Tomoe. Without at first intending to, he found himself telling the hanyou about his first love. He also told him about the cross shaped scar on his cheek and of his eventual fight with Enishi.

"Kenshin," Inuyasha finally said. "Thank you for bringing Kagome back to life. And...I want you to promise me something."

"Oro?"

"Whatever happens, make sure you protect Kaoru. When this is all over, I want to see you two get married." Kenshin's face reddened at that. "I'm serious Kenshin," Inuyasha continued. "Miroku said that at your heart, you are a truly peaceful man and I agree. If you have any weakness at all, it's because you're too kind. You're Sesshoumaru's reincarnation, but you're not Sesshoumaru himself. Whatever name you choose to call yourself, whether it be Sesshoumaru, Battousai, Shinta, or Kenshin, you're still the same person. Remember that."

Kenshin stared at him. _"Who am I?" _He hadn't expected this kind of response from Inuyasha. It seemed...very mature. Even so..._This one committed many sins as the Battousai, and even more as Sesshoumaru...how can this one truly find peace?_

"Inuyasha..." he started.

**"INUYASHA! KENSHIN!"**

The two men spun around to where the others were in the distance. Kagome was waving a piece of paper. They saw a pink bubble pop and turn into a leaf. Fox magic.

"Shippo's message...?" Kenshin asked. However, as they raced back to the others, they discovered that the message was in fact from Shippo's daughter, Sango. Myouga the flea had traveled with the letter to make sure it reached Inuyasha. The message filled them with dread.

The Western lands were being attacked.

Without a moment of hesitation, they prepared to head back west.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_I promise that there will be more action in the next chapter. I wanted to try to get the focus back to Kenshin this chapter and also in the next few chapters._

_Next chapter: Assault on the Western Lands_


	37. Assault on the Western Lands

_**Recap: **The Sakabatou, as well as Aoshi's short swords, were reforged in the last chapter. Totousai has given the name of Tenya to Kenshin's reverse blade sword. Kenshin also used the Tenseiga to bring Kagome back to life. Much of Ken-san's inner turmoil was revealed through his nightmares as well as in a heart to heart talk with Inuyasha. While this was going on, they received an unexpected message from Shippo's daughter, Sango. The Western Lands were under attack._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 37:_ Assault on the Western Lands

Megumi watched as an enraged Amaya stood her ground. Several armored youkai charged at her with drawn swords. The nimble, raven haired woman leapt up and swung down with her claws. The youkai were cut to pieces as the quarter-youkai continued on her rampage, golden eyes gleaming with rage.

Meanwhile, Amaya's husband Akio, Kouga's son, was busy directing the wolf youkai tribe. The youkai forces had decimated the wolf tribes in the mountains during a surprise attack. Many of them had fled to the Western lands. Megumi gave a start as she felt a tug on her clothes and looked down.

"Lady Megumi, it isn't safe here," Jaken said. The small youkai had developed a growing respect for the human after seeing her tend to the wounded wolves. The doctor nodded her head and took one last look at the fighting before turning around to follow Jaken back into the Great Hall. She had set up a temporary infirmary there and had enlisted young Sango as an aide.

She would have to leave the fighting to the others and hope Kenshin and the others showed up soon. She had her own duties to attend to.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Ginta, any news from my father?" Akio asked. The other wolf shook his head no. _Damn. Why now? We defeated these bastards back during the Great Youkai War. Why are they attacking now? _Akio had an idea though. Naraku must be behind it.

"What about my mother?" he asked.

"The last we heard, Lady Ayame was trying to protect your borders. As soon as it's possible, she said she'd send reinforcements," Ginta said. Akio swore again. He hoped his mother would be alright. She had a feisty fighting spirit.

The wolf cast his eye out over the attacking hoarde. The last time that they had fought, his family had been allied the Shadow Fox Clan, the Panther Tribe, the Western Lands, and the Thunder youkai tribe. However, this time the kitsunes and the panthers were no where around, Inuyasha wasn't here, and Shippo and Souten weren't here.

"Ginta," he asked suddenly. "Lady Souten and her daughter Kagome are still in China as far as I know, but her other daughter Nariko had stayed behind in their lands..."

"She's fine Lord Akio," another voice called out. "In fact, I have good news!"

Akio swung around to see that Jaken had joined them. He must have been distracted if he hadn't smelled the smaller youkai approaching.

"What do you mean Jaken?" he asked. The ugly youkai smiled as he grasped his two headed staff.

"Young Sango just received word from her home. Her mother and older sister have returned from China. Lady Souten and the twins are coming to help us," he explained. Akio smirked at that. Souten was a master fighter and a brilliant strategist. She and her two older daughters would be welcomed very much.

"How long until they get here?" Akio asked. A look of dismay crossed the smaller youkai's face as he shook his head.

"I don't know my Lord. I'm also afraid I don't know when Lord Inuyasha and the others will manage to get here," Jaken answered. Akio sighed before nodding his head.

"Very well. Jaken, return to the infirmary and help Megumi and the others."

"Yes, my Lord."

Akio drew his sword as the smaller youkai ran off. He was a strong fighter in his own right, although he felt that he was still living in his father's shadow. As Kouga had stood up to Naraku a few centuries ago, his son ran out to meet this new threat to his tribe and family. He had a wife and daughter to protect.

The wolf's green eyes flashed as he joined the fight head long, just as much of a menace in battle as his father.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Tell me Shishio, how is the assault faring?" Naraku poured himself a glass of European brandy as he felt Shishio study him.

"Everything is going as planned," Shishio said. "Inuyasha has taken the bait and is currently on his way back to the Western lands with the Battousai." Naraku set down his glass but didn't yet turn around to look at the other man.

"You wish to be there," he stated calmly. Shishio's eyes narrowed coldly before he nodded his head.

"Battousai and I have a score to settle Naraku. You know that."

Naraku chuckled darkly as he looked out the window. His eyes slowly followed a couple of government bureaucrats making their way arrogantly down the street. They were flanked by five police officer. Three of them we knew were under the control of his demonseed. His other plan was working well.

Shishio said nothing as Naraku stared out the window. He knew that the other man was trying to bait him with his silence. He refused to rise to it. After a moment, Naraku chuckled again as he realized what the other man was doing.

"Shishio, you are of more worth to me than any of my past incarnations," he said smoothly. It was true, the man was far more competent than any of the fools he had relied on in the past. Shishio again said nothing and Naraku finally spoke again.

"You will face Sesshoumaru in soon, Shishio. Just as I will kill Inuyasha, I will allow you the pleasure of killing him. In fact, you may go to the Western Lands to observe things if you wish."

"Only to observe?" Shishio asked.

"Yes, although I do have a task for you to perform. However, if you wish you may make an appearance to Sesshoumaru, but now is not yet the time to kill him."

"Very well." Shishio turned to leave after the other man explained his intentions and paused. "Naraku...what about the fox? What have you done with him?" he asked curiously. Naraku turned around to look at him and smirked. Shishio gave a start as a pair of jade green eyes studied him in wry amusement.

"His fate, shall we say, has been taken care of."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Come on Hachi, hurry it up!"

"I'm sorry Inuyasha, I'm going as fast as I can!"

Hachi was quickly making his way towards the Western lands, but not nearly as fast as Inuyasha or the others would have preferred. Myouga had quickly filled the hanyou lord in on the details, after expressing his surprise at seeing Kagome and the Sango possessed bow. The Western lands were being attacked by remnants of the youkai army that had invaded a century earlier from the Chinese mainlands.

"Why would they attack now?" Kaoru asked. "You guys defeated them, right?" Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he stared off into the distance.

"We did," he answered stiffly. "I'm not sure why they're back, but seeing as how things have been going..."

_"Then Naraku is most likely the one who is supporting them," _Miroku finished. Yahiko looked back and forth between the solemn adults.

"So will Naraku be there?" Yahiko asked.

_"No," _Sango answered. _"This isn't how Naraku works. He's probably directing it, but he must have some other purpose for this."_

"A diversion," Kenshin suddenly said. "He's trying to direct our attention to the Western lands."

"Then we are walking into a trap," Aoshi added. Misao fingered her shuriken as she glanced around at the others.

_"Yes," _Sango finally said in agreement. The rest were silent for a time, then...

"I don't care," Inuyasha growled. "My home is under attack. That's good enough for me."

_"Even so Inuyasha," _Miroku started. _"We must be cautious if..."_

"I know Miroku!" Inuyasha snapped. Then a moment later, he spoke again in a calmer voice. "I know, but I don't have a choice Miroku. At least we all know it's going to be a trap."

"Yeah," Kagome said. "Inuyasha's right, we don't really have a choice."

Kenshin looked off into the distance as the group fell into silence again. Unconsciously, his hand fingered the hilts of the Tenya and the Tenseiga. What could Naraku be planning?

"Inuyasha," Kenshin suddenly said. "Is Naraku planning to spring a trap on us, or is he in fact attempting to divert our attention from something else?" Inuyasha looked over at him sharply.

"You mean he might be planning to do something else?"

_"It's possible," _Miroku said. _"With Naraku, it is difficult to know what his true intentions are. But as you and Kagome have already stated Inuyasha, we really have no choice. We must defend the Western lands."_

Inuyasha said nothing as he stared off into the distance. He hoped that Shippo and the others were making better progress than they were. He was a bit uneasy about the fact that no one had heard from them for some time. The kitsune should have either contacted him or the others back home by now, but Myouga had said they had heard nothing from the fox.

The hanyou tore his mind away from the others. Shippo and the others would have to take care of themselves for the moment. He had other more immediate priorities that he had to take care of first.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It had been over an hour since Akio had spoken with Jaken. He willed himself not to give into the fatigue that was threatening to overtake him. They had managed to hold them off for now, but the wolf knew that unless they had support soon, then all would be lost. The youkai army kept growing larger as their own small numbers continued to exhaust themselves. Akio knew that his wife was wishing that she had the Tetsusaiga right now.

It was in this exhaustion that Akio almost missed it. He was leaning back against a stone wall when his nose smelled the scent of foxes. _Wh_a_t the hell? _The wolf slipped off into the castle as he followed the scent. Why were there kitsunes here? With their shapeshifting abilities, they could be any where...

Akio suddenly sliced his sword down into the shadows. A scream echoed down the hall as a black haired kitsune sprawled out onto the floor. The wolf hissed as he rolled the dead man over. He was a member of the Shadow Fox Clan.

_What the hell are they doing here? They're our allies!_

The wolf sniffed once as he caught a faint, sickening smell underneath the kitsune's clothes. He reached a clawed hand out to pull back the man's kimono to reveal a spider mark on the chest.

Akio stared at it.

He rolled out of the way just as sharp leaf came flying out of another shadow. It struck the ground where he had been kneeling and pierced the stone floor.

**"Intruders!" **Akio yelled. His enraged voice thundered down the large corridor. **"The Shadow Fox Clan has turned against us!"**

There was a ripple of movement as several faint shadows began to glide towards the Great Hall, where Megumi had placed the wounded. As Akio raced after them, he missed the small spider that crawled out of the dead kitsune's chest. It paused a moment before it began to scurry down the opposite end of the hallway.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Amaya glared hard at the scores of youkai still approaching. She hadn't heard her husband's warning during the heat of battle. Many of the wolves who had been fighting with her had already died. The woman growled as she looked out over the still growing army. No matter how many they killed, more seemed to come.

An explosion of foul smelling smoke threw her back. She instantly recognized it as gunpowder. Amaya dodged another explosion as a new 'rat tat tat' sound reached her ears. Bullets ate at the ground around her as she rolled out of the way. She hadn't expected them to be using human weapons.

She hissed as the ground shook beneath her and exploded in a gush of hot air. A large demonic youkai reared out of the ground and roared at her. Gunfire continued to fly over her head, trying to block her movements. Her eyes glistened red as her she flexed her claws.

"You bastard...I'll get you," she growled. Amaya was preparing to rush at the youkai when a flash of movement rippled in front of her. The quarter-youkai hit the ground as a wave of fire burnt into the ranks of enemy youkai behind her. The huge youkai in front of her fell as it was cut to pieces. She looked up to see a tall, stern faced woman standing next to the corpse.

"Souten!" Amaya yelled in surprise. She jumped as she felt the ground rumbling beneath her. The woman spun around to face a large, red scaled dragon. "Kouryuu!" Kouryuu had grown greatly since when he and Souten had first encountered Inuyasha and the others a few centuries ago.

The dragon chuckled at her before turning to stampede off into the ranks of screaming youkai. Kouryuu blew flames into their retreating backs. Amaya turned back to look at the approaching woman. A pair of red eyes studied her wryly underneath long raven hair. Souten carried her sword, the heirloom of the Thunder youkai tribe, over her shoulder. A formidable looking set of armor was worn over her white shirt and pants.

"Souten," Amaya said again. "I'm glad you guys are here. Where's Kagome and Nariko?" Kagome and Nariko were Shippo and Souten's twin daughters.

"They went into the castle," Souten explained calmly. She looked around at the devastated landscape before studying the younger woman again. "Where's your father?"

"He should be coming," Amaya said. "Sango set him a message."

"Is she all right?" Souten asked, concerned for her youngest child.

"She's fine. She's helping a friend of ours attend to the wounded."

Amaya looked over at the burnt remains of some sort of weapon. She guessed that it must have been the thing that was firing at her. She'd never seen a gun like that.

"What is that called Souten?" she asked.

"It's a Gatling gun." Souten kicked over the smoking remains of the Gatling gun before looking over at the castle. "Amaya, why don't you return to the castle? Kouryuu and I can handle things out here until your father arrives." Amaya nodded and leapt up the hill towards the castle.

Souten's red eyes gleamed as she held out her sword. She had inherited it after her brothers had been killed by Inuyasha. It was ironic that she was using it to defend his home. Her eyes gazed piercingly over the scores of youkai as she searched for a weakness.

There.

Souten leapt over the heads of several youkai and raced towards two wagons in the distance. She killed the youkai guarding them and found that her assumption had been correct. The wagons were full of bags of gunpowder and several crates of dynamite.

She sheathed her sword as she grabbed hold of the wagons and flung them into the youkai ranks. Gunpowder and dynamite went flying into the wind.

"Kouryuu! Fire!"

Souten raced out of the way as the red dragon came thundering into the fray. Red fire spew out of Kouryuu's mouth, igniting the flying gunpowder. Great explosions rocked the earth as hundreds of youkai caught fire. She unsheathed her sword and raced off to further terrorize the attacking youkai.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Why the hell are you doing this?" Akio yelled. His sword sliced through one of the kitsunes. "Why are you attacking us? I thought we were allies!" The wolf youkai stood in front of Megumi, Sango, and Jaken. Two of the Shadow Foxes had already managed to kill most of the wounded in the Hall.

"Why?" he yelled. None of the remaining fox youkai answered him as they circled the room, flickering in and out of his vision. Akio eyed the spider mark on the chest of one of the two men. The other surviving three were women. _Why have they allied with Naraku? _Akio swung his sword in an arc before throwing it through the chest of one of the kitsunes.

"Akio! Look out!" Sango yelled. The young kitsune had placed herself in front of Megumi as Jaken stood at the other side of the doctor, staff at ready. Akio grunted as one of the leaf knives pierced his left shoulder. He growled and raked down with his claws. Two more sharp leaves buried themselves in one of his legs.

"Akio!" Sango shot a wave of foxfire between the wounded wolf and two of the Shadow kitsunes. "Stay away from him!" One of the female foxes turned to glare coldly at her. Then she raised her right hand and shot out a hot wave of blue foxfire at the child. Sango shot out her hands, but the older kitsune's flames were far more powerful.

"No!" Akio yelled. He watched in horror as the child, Megumi, and Jaken were thrown back. The female fox appeared behind the three and gutted them with her claws. The stunned wolf watched as the three bodies slumped to the floor.

_No..._

The wolf's face contorted with rage as he found a new strength. His eyes glowed red as he launched himself at the remaining kitsunes. Moments later, he was gutting the last fox when he saw the kitsune's chest bulge outward. Akio dropped the body and saw a small spider crawl out from the chest.

_What the hell...?_

Akio crushed the spider and looked around in shock as spiders began to crawl out of the chests of the dead kitsunes. His eyes widened as he saw a spider mark disappear from the chest of one kitsune as the creature crawled out. What did this mean? Had they...could they have been controlling them? The wolf tried to kill the fleeing spiders, but it was difficult to target each one.

"Akio!" Akio stopped as green fox fire burnt the escaping spiders in a single, sweeping wave. He looked over to see two teenage girls, one with red hair, and another with black hair.

"Nariko, Kagome!" he yelled in surprise. The twin daughters of Shippo and Souten smiled grimly as they searched the room for any remaining spiders. Nariko, the red haired one, cried out in surprise as she found the dead body of their younger sister. Akio's fists shook as the young twins gathered around the dead Sango, Jaken, and Megumi. _Damn it..._

The wolf's green eyes snapped open in sudden remembrance. He had killed one of the Shadow foxes in the hallway. That meant that there was another one of those strange spiders on the loose. But where could it be?

Without realizing, the wolf broke into a dead sprint as he raced up to his daughter's chamber. The two year old girl had three guards with her, but...

"Izayoi!"

Akio ignored the pain in his leg as he finally burst into the chamber. He found to his horror that the three guards were dead. The wolf had no time to ponder this as he saw a small, brownish spider crawling over the sleeping form of his and Amaya's daughter. He gave a cry and launched himself at the child.

Akio crushed the spider and picked up the girl. He lightly kissed Izayoi's chubby cheek as he thanked the gods. The wolf's mind suddenly became alert as his instincts detected another presence in the room. Everything happened before the wolf had time to react. A sharp pain pierced through his chest as a sword was thrust through him.

The last thing that Akio saw was the fading image of his sleeping child.

Shishio smirked as he resheathed his sword and picked up the young girl. _Foolish man. _The wolf had allowed himself to become distracted. He smirked again as he walked out into the corridor, carrying the child.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Souten stepped back as a wave of energy shot through the retreating ranks of youkai. She had been about to attack when she had heard someone yell for her to get out of the way. That was right before the Wind Scar blew through the retreating youkai.

"Inuyasha!" she yelled. The hanyou lord raced up to her, clearly not having expected to see the leader of the Thunder youkai tribe here.

"Souten? Feh, you could have left me some to kill," Inuyasha said. Souten smirked back as she studied the group of humans with him.

"Inuyasha...where is my husband?" she asked. Inuyasha grimaced as he admitted that he didn't know. The hanyou looked around at all the dead bodies before suddenly whipping around to stare at Kenshin.

"What is it?" he asked in alarm. Kenshin stared off at the castle with his hand resting on the Tenseiga. He could feel them...

He could feel all the dead.

Tears slipped down his face as he saw all of the dead in his mind. The Tenseiga began to pulse as he pictured the dead Akio in the castle, with a grieving Amaya at his side. He saw Megumi, Sango, Jaken, and all of the dead kitsunes lying cold in the Great Hall. He saw the faces of the innocent dead lying on the battlefield.

His hand gripped the Tenseiga and pulled it from its sheath. Kenshin barely heard the gasps of surprise as something extraordinary happened.

The Tenseiga transformed.

Tears of cold rage slipped down Kenshin's face as the Tenseiga changed into an identical twin of the transformed Tetsusaiga. He mind didn't wonder if he would be able to pick up the now heavy sword. His hands lifted it up unconsciously.

_Sesshoumaru, the Tetsusaiga has the power to kill one hundred youkai. The Tenseiga has the power to bring that one hundred back. Your sword, not Inuyasha's, is the more powerful sword. It's not difficult to kill. What is difficult is bringing the dead back to the land of the living._

_Father...I need this power now..._

For the moment, Kenshin ceased to exist. He was not Himura Kenshin, he was not the Battousai, nor was he Shinta or even Sesshoumaru. He just was.

The Tenseiga glowed as Kenshin swung it in an arc. A blazing blast of energy shot from the sword, not unlike the Wind Scar, yet...very much _unlike _it. The energy shot through the devastated landscape and through the castle. The bright energy slowly faded and the world seemed to hold its breath.

There were groans around the battlefield as the dead began to wake up. Those who had died defending the Western lands stood up in confusion as the invaders from the Chinese mainland continued in their eternal sleep.

Megumi sat up in surprise just as Sango and Jaken opened their eyes. She blinked her eyes as everyone else in the room, wolves and foxes alike picked themselves up in confusion. The doctor braced herself as the Shadow foxes stood up, but none of them appeared to be the least bit aggressive.

Akio opened his eyes to see a tear faced Amaya holding him. His wife's eyes opened in shock as she hugged him to her chest.

"Akio," she sobbed. "You're alive!" Akio blinked as his memories returned to him.

"Izayoi!" he yelled. The wolf jumped to his feet. "Someone took our daughter!" The startled Amaya sat up and looked around. It was true. Their child was gone.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"K...Kenshin?" Kaoru asked quietly. The others were staring wordlessly at the swordsman. Inuyasha stared as the Tenseiga reverted back to its usual form.

"Kenshin?" he asked. Kenshin resheathed the sword and turned around. He and Inuyasha locked eyes and the hanyou saw that Kenshin's eyes had turned golden again. The two men stood there as if frozen in time, until they, Souten and Aoshi's heads all suddenly whipped to stare behind the group.

A strange, cloaked man was standing behind them.

"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha growled. The man smirked, causing the hair to rise on the back of Kenshin's neck. Aoshi gripped his short swords.

"Who are you?" Aoshi repeated calmly. His instincts were telling him that this man was dangerous. The strange man chuckled as he swept his gaze over the group. He seemed to be holding some large bundle underneath his dark blue cloak.

"You know who I am..." The man's red eyes locked with Kenshin's. "...Battousai." Kenshin gasped. That voice...he knew that voice!

"Shishio?" he asked, not quite able to believe it. The other man chuckled again. Aoshi, Misao, Yahiko and Kaoru all grabbed their weapons. Inuyasha's eyes were locked suspiciously on the unseen bundle under Shishio's cloak. His eyes snapped open as he suddenly recognized his granddaughter's scent.

"Izayoi!" he yelled in dismay. Kagome and the others looked at him in surprise. Inuyasha pointed a finger at Shishio and growled again. "He has Izayoi! He has my...our granddaughter!" Kagome gasped as Shishio brushed aside his cloak to reveal the sleeping child underneath of it.

"Naraku has requested an audience with your grandchild, Inuyasha," Shishio stated matter of factly.

**"YOU BASTARD!"**

Inuyasha launched himself at Shishio, but the resurrected human merely jumped out of the way. His speed was far superior to that of the hanyou's.

"Inuyasha!" Kenshin yelled. "Stop! If this is Shishio, as he claims to be, he'll kill the child if you continue to attack!"

"I am Shishio," Shishio declared. "Naraku resurrected me and gave me this youkai body. It has served me quite well. If you don't believe me, you should ask that green eyed fox friend of yours. What was his name...ah, yes...Shippo."

Inuyasha stopped cold.

"What have you done to him?" he growled. Shishio smirked mockingly at the hanyou as he ran a finger through the sleeping child's hair.

"Don't touch her!" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome drew an arrow and notched it. She aimed at Shishio.

"I wouldn't if I were you, Woman," Shishio warned. "I'm much faster than you. You might end up hitting your own grandchild." Shishio turned his head as he heard another set of growling.

"Why..._Battousai_, I don't believe I've ever heard you growl like that before, and those facial markings of yours are quite interesting. I am eager to see what kind of power your youkai soul gives you when we fight." Shishio watched in surprise as Kenshin's eyes suddenly glowed red. His red hair, for the briefest instant, flickered silver.

"Shishio..." Kenshin growled. Unconsciously, he flexed the claws that had suddenly grown out of his fingers. "Shishio...I will kill you..." He bared a set of fangs at the curious Shishio.

"Interesting," Shishio murmured. "I hardly even recognize you. Perhaps you really are this Sesshoumaru." He tucked the girl back underneath his cloak.

"Inuyasha, Battousai," he said loudly. "If you want the child, then go to the Shizu Temple in Tokyo. Naraku will be waiting...as will I, _Battousai_," he warned. Inuyasha growled and launched himself at the other man, but Shishio disappeared with a flash of smoke.

Inuyasha pounded the ground where Shishio had been standing. _Damn Damn Damn..._

**"NARAKU!"**


	38. Tokyo

_**Author's note: **This is probably a relatively short chapter, but I'm trying to set everyone up for the final battles. Yes, sniff, the story is drawing near the end. There are only a few chapters left. I'll probably take about a month off once this gets finished before I start on a new story. I have a Justice League story I need to finish as well. I'm not sure which one I'll do after that, but I'll list them below. Feel free to cast your votes or to give me ideas if you want._

_**Brother**: RK. Saito discovers that the younger brother that he thought he had lost during the Bakumatsu may still be alive._

_**That Which Is Lost:** Full Metal Alchemist. AU. Set after Maes Hughes's death. Roy Mustang attempts human alchemy to bring Hughes back to life, leading to disastrous results._

_**Recap: **Shippo's wife, Souten, and their twin daughters showed up unexpectantly in the Western lands to lend their aid. Inuyasha, Kenshin and the others arrived later, only to find that nearly everyone had been killed. It was then that Kenshin unlocked the full potential of the Tenseiga and caused it to transform for the first time._

_After Kenshin revived their slain comrades, Shishio appeared before them. He issued a challenge to Inuyasha and Kenshin, telling them to come to the Shizu Temple in Tokyo. To make sure that they will come, Shishio has kidnapped Inuyasha and Kagome's granddaughter, Izayoi, as bait._

_This has caused Kenshin to transform even more and it's ramifications have yet to be seen._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 38:_ Tokyo

"I'm picking up a faint smell."

"Can you tell where it's coming from?" Sanosuke asked.

Kouga frowned as he sniffed the air again. He, Sanosuke, and Saito had argued on where to begin their search for the missing Shippo. Namu and Kirara had kept silent as they followed the trio. After an especially heated quarrel, Saito had convinced them that they should return to Tokyo. The former Shinsengumi had reasoned that since Tokyo was the main seat of power in Japan, then it was inevitable that Naraku would have some connections there. As they had no other ideas, they had all decided to follow his advice and return to the city.

Kouga and Kirara had picked up youkai scents immediately upon entering Tokyo.

Saito pushed down the desire to light a cigarette. As much as he loved to irritate the wolf, now was not the time. Tobacco smoke would only hamper Kouga and Kirara's sense of smell.

"It's hard to pick out, but I can faintly smell it," Kouga said. Kirara mewed in agreement. "It's always hard to smell things in a human city, there's so many other distractions."

"Where's it coming from?" Namu asked. Even with his father's sword amplifying his hanyou powers, his nose still wasn't as strong as the wolf and cat's. Kouga sniffed again before pointing towards the east.

"I smell something that way and also to the west. It's spread all over the city," he said. Saito narrowed his eyes as he looked around them. A great darkness was descending upon the land that he loved and he didn't like it.

_Slay. Evil. Immediately._

"We are wasting our time," Saito said. "Wolf...lead the way." Kouga smirked before taking off in the direction of the strongest scent. The others followed close behind.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Kaoru paced back and forth, feeling helpless and angry. Kenshin, Aoshi, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sango had all left for Tokyo, leaving the rest of them behind. She had wanted to go with them, as had Yahiko and Miroku. Miroku could very well have gone in fact, however, as he was technically in Yahiko's bokken, the dead monk had decided that it was his duty to stay with their descendant.

_"All will be well, Lady Kaoru. We have all faced difficult times such as this and have persevered," _Miroku reassured quietly. Yahiko, for once, didn't comment on Kaoru's mood. He himself was disturbed over recent events, especially Kenshin's change of attitude.

"I'm worried about Kenshin," Kaoru admitted softly. She was worried about the others as well, but Kenshin was her main concern. Ever since he had said 'I will kill you', he had become less like the Kenshin they had come to know. He wasn't the Battousai, not exactly anyway. Nor was he an awakened Sesshoumaru; he still called himself Kenshin. No, the former hitokiri seemed to be somewhere between the three: not really the Battousai, not quite Sesshoumaru, but yet still Kenshin enough to care for their well being as well as the safety of the kidnapped child.

_"It will be fine," _Miroku said again. Even though he didn't say, the dead monk was worried as well. He knew full well how dangerous Naraku was, and after hearing about this Shishio Makoto, he was even less at ease. However, the dead monk had come to know just how reckless and irrational Kaoru, Yahiko, and Misao could be in their actions. Since the three had been left behind with Megumi and the others, he had decided it would be better to stay behind as well to be the voice of reason.

Kaoru paused in her pacing to look over at Misao. The young woman had been sulking ever since Aoshi and Kenshin had left with the hanyou, the priestess, and the dead youkai slayer. She watched as Megumi walked over to place a hand on the young Obiwaban's shoulder and speak quietly to her.

Amaya had been the worst to calm down in fact. She had her parent's stubbornness, their temper, and her father's recklessness. It had taken all of them, plus a threat from Inuyasha, to keep her from going along to save her and Akio's child. It was possible that more youkai would attack, even after the assault. She needed to stay behind to guard the Western lands. Souten had left soon after with her daughter Nariko and the dragon Kouryuu to check on their family lands.

Souten had been the second worst to calm down. After Shishio had hinted that something had happened to Shippo, the Thunder youkai was ready to storm into Tokyo to demand where her husband was. Again, Inuyasha had been forced to threaten her as well.

Kaoru and Megumi, of course, had been the third worst to calm down. Inuyasha's threats didn't work as well on them. Sango and Kagome had been the ones to calm them down.

"They'll be all right, Kaoru," Yahiko said suddenly. The boy crossed his arms and gave a very Inuyasha-like smirk. "Kenshin and Inuyasha are fighting together, and Kagome and Sango are there too. No one can beat them, I know they can win!" Kaoru gave a faint smile as she saw traces of the boy's ancestors in his face. He came from strong stock.

_"Well," _Miroku said with wry amusement, _"Who are we to ignore the young lord of the Western lands?"_

Yahiko's face turned red in embarrassment, causing all of them to laugh.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Kenshin studied the temple in the distance, his eyes glowing a bright golden in the slowly fading daylight. He had said little to the others on their journey here. There was little to be said. He sniffed once and flexed his claws.

"You smell that too, eh?" Inuyasha asked. Kenshin nodded.

"Smell what?" Kagome asked.

"There's no one here, not Naraku, or Shishio or even a human or cat. This place is empty."

Aoshi quietly watched Kenshin out of the corner of his eyes. He stood quite still, with his golden eyes fastened on the temple. The change had been slow at first, but it was there. Aoshi had thought that this was the Battousai at first, but now he wasn't so sure. A few strands of red hair had recently turned silver on the former hitokiri. He wondered if Kenshin was even aware of it.

_"It's a trap," _Sango said. _"You know it's not like Naraku to confront us face to face unless he's up to something." _Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, but Kenshin beat him to it.

"You're right," Kenshin said coolly. "Remember Inuyasha, Naraku once had Kagura steal Rin away from me, much like he has done with your grandchild." Inuyasha stared at him a moment before turning away.

"Yeah," he answered quietly. "I remember. You were going to kill Kohaku." Sango was silent at this and Kenshin didn't respond. Kagome paused a moment before moving towards the former hitokiri.

"Are you..." she paused. "Are you Kenshin or Sesshoumaru?" Kenshin hesitated before answering truthfully.

"I don't know."

It was Aoshi who finally started to walk towards the Buddhist temple in the distance. The others looked at each other before finally following silently behind. There was nothing to do but go forward. They knew it was a trap, but there was nothing else they could do.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Saito didn't like this. Kouga's nose had led them straight to the Imperial courts. Both Kirara and the wolf insisted that the youkai scents were located most strongly in this area of town. The areas with the second highest concentration were where the government and military offices were located.

"I don't like this," Sano said quietly. Saito narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the grounds.

"What's the problem?" Kouga asked, oblivious.

"The problem, Idiot, is that this area is the residence of the Imperial family," Saito answered dryly.

"So?" Kouga asked. "I'm the leader of the Wolf tribe and Inuyasha rules the Western lands. Even Shippo's wife has her own little kingdom."

"There would be severe political ramifications if we're caught," the former Shinsengumi answered, with a hint of sarcasm. He didn't admit it, but he was disturbed by this. Could Naraku be controlling Emporer Meiji himself? It was Sano who finally summed it up with a smirk.

"Who cares?" he asked. "I don't care about the emporer." Saito smirked in reply.

"So..." Namu ventured slowly. "Are we going in or not?" Kirara mewed, as if she was wondering the same thing. Saito's lips pulled back in a wolf-like grin as a predatory glint shown in his eyes. Kouga growled quietly in anticipation as Sano cracked his knuckles.

Namu took that as a yes.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Naraku!"

Naraku chuckled mirthlessly as he and Shishio stepped out of the shadows. Inuyasha and Kenshin's mouths both pulled back in identical snarls. Kagome pulled an arrow from her quiver, but didn't yet draw her bow. Aoshi withdrew his short swords.

"Where is she?" Inuyasha growled. "Where's Izayoi?"

"She's not here, if that's what you mean," Shishio said with amusement. Inuyasha growled as he withdrew the Tetsusaiga.

_"Careful Inuyasha," _Sango warned. _"That may not be Naraku, it could be one of his youkai puppets."_

"We also don't know what Shishio is capable of in his new form," Aoshi added calmly. Inuyasha shook with rage as he glared at the two men. Kenshin, on the other hand, glared at them with a far colder rage. Two more strands of his hair turned silver.

"Tell us Naraku," Kagome demanded. "What have you done with Shippo?" She remembered all to well what Shishio had said. Naraku smirked unpleasantly as he walked slowly towards them.

"Done with him?" he asked. "Why...the fox is here, right now." Inuyasha sniffed once and growled.

"You lie, you Bastard. His smell isn't in the temple."

"Oh?" Naraku asked in a show of innocence. "I mean to say, that he's here in _me_." The others gave a start of surprise.

"What does he mean..." Aoshi started. Inuyasha and Kenshin both growled up at him. Naraku walked closer and for the first time they saw his eyes.

He had green eyes.


	39. The Final Battle Begins

_For those of you wanting more Kaoru/Ken/Sessh action, I promise that there will be more in the future, even if not much in this chapter._

_**Recap: **Saito, Sano, Kouga, Namu and Kirara arrived in Tokyo to begin searching for Shippo. Kouga has picked up the strong scent of youkai in the Imperial palace. Suspicious they have decided to investigate. Meanwhile, Kenshin, Inuyasha, Aoshi, Kagome, and Sango arrived at the Shizu Temple in Tokyo to confront Naraku and Shishio. It was there that they learned that Naraku had absorbed the kitsune into his body._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 39:_ The Final Battle Begins

Saito peered around the corner. _I can't believe I'm breaking into the Imperial palace. _That thought brought a smirk to his face.

Kouga had already gone on ahead to track down the scents. If he was noticed, then he would serve as a diversion for the others. Sanosuke quietly climbed through an open window, followed by a silent Namu. Kirara was already inside. The youkai cat had already surveyed the immediate area, being able to keep out of sight because of her small size. She came gliding back and halted at Saito's feet and looked at him.

The former Shinsengumi slipped out of the room and followed the cat. Sanosuke and Namu waited a minute before following as well. Saito was going to step out of the shadows when Kirara suddenly gave a hiss. He flattened himself against the wall and motioned for Sano and Namu to do the same. Seconds later, Emperor Meiji himself came walking by, flanked by two bodyguards.

Saito let out the breath he had been holding and continued to move wraithlike through the shadows.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Naraku, you Bastard!"

Inuyasha launched himself at Naraku, his Tetsusaiga already drawn. Naraku chuckled darkly as he stood his ground.

"Strike me down if you wish Inuyasha, but you will also kill your friend," he warned.

"Kenshin has the Tenseiga, he can bring him back," Inuyasha growled. The youkai teleported out of the way as the enraged hanyou struck at him. A large crack formed in the earth where he had formerly been standing.

"Shippo is now a part of me," Naraku explained matter of factly. "If you attempt to revive him with the Tenseiga, you would also be reviving me."

"Inuyasha," Kenshin said. "I fear he is telling the truth. We must get Shippo out of him if we are to..." Kenshin leapt out of the way as Shishio attacked. The former Ishin Shishi dropped to a knee and brought his reverse blade sword up to defend himself. Shishio paused as he and Kenshin stared at each other. Shishio's red eyes gleamed malevolently.

"Your battle is with me, Battousai."

Kenshin's golden eyes narrowed dangerously as he gripped the Tenya. The Tenseiga pulsed once at his side as the two men circled each other. Like a crack of lightning, they flew at each other. The clang of contacting swords rang throughout the empty temple.

In the moment that Inuyasha's attention had been diverted by Kenshin and Shishio, Naraku had teleported to the top of the main shrine. A wave of green foxfire forced the hanyou's attention back to the battle at hand as he grabbed Kagome and leapt out of the way.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said. "Do you think that your sacred arrow might separate Shippo and Naraku?" Kagome bit her lip as Inuyasha again leapt out of the way as Naraku fired Shippo's foxfire at them.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I'm not sure if I'll even be able to hit him. He's moving so fast."

_"Yes," _Sango added. _"Even if we did hit him, we could very well kill Shippo as well." _Inuyasha's fists tightened as he glared at Naraku.

"We may not have a choice," Inuyasha growled quietly. "Our first priority is to take down Naraku. Shippo would understand."

"Are you going to fight me, Inuyasha? Your compassion for your friend will be your undoing," Naraku called out. Inuyasha growled as he again unsheathed his Tetsusaiga and held it in front of him.

"Naraku!" Inuyasha yelled. "Prepare for Hell!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I smell something bad," Kouga murmured. He had joined the others in the courtyard of the palace. They had so far managed to avoid the guards, which as Saito knew, wouldn't last much longer. If Kouga and Kirara had already detected youkai within the palace, then they themselves had already been detected as well.

"Smell what?" Sano whispered.

"It's the same smell that was on that kitsune that Shippo killed. It smells like that spider that crawled out of his chest, except worse."

"Can you tell where?" Saito asked. Kouga sniffed once.

"I think it's coming from underneath the palace," he answered. "I think we should check it..."

They all became instantly alert as the palace suddenly came to life. People began shouting as soldiers began racing out of the doors. Kouga growled suddenly as Saito's hand flew to the sword at his side. The wolf youkai launched himself into the shadows and struck with his claws, causing a couple of inhuman screams. Two fox tailed men rolled out of the shadows.

"Shadow foxes," Kouga growled. "I thought I had smelled something familiar. They used to be our allies." Saito ignored him as he tore open their haoris to reveal the spider marks on their chests. Their chests bulged as two spiders popped out of their cold skin.

"These things must be controlling them," Saito pointed out quickly. "Wolf, you said that this smell is underneath the palace?"

"Yeah," Kouga said, catching on. "There's probably more of these things under there."

"We'd better destroy them," Saito said. "There's no telling how many have been infected by these."

"If we're going to do something, let's do it now," Sano urged. "The whole palace knows we're here now." Kirara mewed in reply before running from their cover. She transformed into her larger form and gave a thunderous roar. Saito smirked as he pushed Kouga and the other two in the opposite direction.

"I believe she's attempting to create a diversion for us," Saito pointed out. "We'd better move quickly."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kenshin growled as he dodged a wave of lightning bolts. Shishio had caught him off guard the first time when he had fired the deadly energy at him. The Tenseiga had responded by creating a temporary shield around the former Ishin Shishi. The Tenya glowed a bright silver in his hands as Kenshin appeared behind Shishio and sliced back with his sword. Shishio glided out of the way before the blade could make contact.

It had become a test of speed between the two combatants. Kenshin's speed, which had been god-like before, had been greatly increased by Sesshoumaru's soul. Shishio, who had also been deadly fast before, was now aided by his new youkai body.

"After I kill you, I will kill that woman of yours, Battousai," Shishio stated, trying to rile Kenshin. Kenshin's eyes flashed red as another strand of hair turned silver.

"Shishio..." he growled. "You will not touch her."

Shishio grunted as a blow across the chest forced him back. This was a bit unexpected. Kenshin was much calmer than he usually was when he was angry. He brought his sword up in a parry and charged it with electricity the moment that Kenshin's sword made contact. The energy caused a growl of pain from Kenshin and seemed to enrage him even more. Kenshin leapt back to a safer distance and Shishio smirked at him.

"Battousai, this time I _will _kill you," he promised. Kenshin's eyes flashed as he stared icily at him. An air of elite arrogance formed around him as he stared down his enemy.

"Shishio...you are a mortal in the body of a third rate youkai," Sesshoumaru said dispassionately. "I am the Lord of the Western Lands. You are not fit to cross blades with me...or even Inuyasha." Shishio's eyes flared as he fired a wave of lightning at the awakened youkai lord. Sesshoumaru jumped out of the way and raised a hand.

Shishio hissed as something burned into his skin. A strange poison was quickly eating through his skin and clothing. Shishio ripped off his haori and managed to roll out of the way as Sesshoumaru brought his poison claws down again. He let loose a wild barrage of energy that forced the youkai possessed human to halt in his attack.

"Battousai," Shishio spat angrily. "I will make sure that your woman dies slowly."

"Woman?" Sesshoumaru asked flatly. "I have no..." He paused then and held a hand to his head. The vision of a smiling woman wielding a wooden bokken came to his mind. For reasons he didn't know, his heart warmed suddenly at the thought of her. His blood raced as he envisioned her face.

Kaoru...her name was Kaoru.

It was then that Sesshoumaru suddenly remembered. All of Kenshin's memories came flooding back to him at once and intermingled with his own memories.

"Die Battousai!"

Sesshoumaru/Kenshin managed to move out of the way as Shishio brought his sword down. A small cut formed across his upper left arm. The former Ishin Shishi raked his claws at the other man, causing deep cuts in the earth from where his poison landed. Shishio teleported out of the way to avoid the attack.

"Shishio..." Kenshin turned his head to look at the other man. "You will not harm those that are precious to this one or this one's brother." Shishio smirked back at him.

"We shall see," he warned. Then the two men launched themselves at each other again.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Inuyasha, why do you choose to continue with this humiliation?" Naraku asked. Inuyasha glared furiously at him. The hanyou had stated earlier that killing Naraku came first before trying to save Shippo, but he was having trouble holding up to his boast. The kitsune was both a second son and also a younger brother to him. He knew that Shippo would insist that Inuyasha not worry about him, but it was hard to let go.

"Naraku, this is your last chance," Inuyasha warned boldly. "Give my granddaughter and Shippo back to me." Naraku chuckled darkly at him.

"You will kill me regardless if I did or not," Naraku pointed out. "Therefore, I have no incentive to give them back. Now perish!"

Inuyasha hissed as the youkai flung a cloud of deadly miasma at him. A shining arrow pierced the dark poison and purified it. The hanyou yelled out a warning as Naraku suddenly appeared behind Kagome. Aoshi swung his short swords at the youkai, but an invisible barrier pushed him back. Naraku grinned malevolently as he grabbed the priestess around the throat and lifted her up.

"Behold, Inuyasha. Your compassion for others will be your downfall." Naraku tightened his hold on Kagome and prepared to snap her neck. The priestess dropped Sango as she tried to loosen his grip.

"NO!" Inuyasha bellowed. He threw himself at Naraku, but a barrier blocked him as well. He stood near Aoshi and glared into the barrier.

"I you wish to rescue your beloved Inuyasha, then strike down with your Tetsusaiga." Naraku smirked as he squeezed Kagome's neck to the horrified outcries of Inuyasha. Then, unexpectantly, Naraku's hand froze. His face contorted into a growl as his hand began to shake.

"No..." he murmured angrily. "This isn't possible..."

His hand continued to shake until it opened up forcefully and dropped Kagome. Naraku glared dangerously at his hand as it moved with painful slowness to grab his own throat in a choke hold. Kagome coughed as she backed away from Naraku. The barrier surrounding them suddenly vanished and Inuyasha rushed in to grab Kagome.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly. He eyed the cursing Naraku with confusion as he pulled his wife away.

"I'm fine," Kagome wheezed. "Where's Sango?"

_"I'm here." _Aoshi had rescued the bow from where she had been laying at Naraku's feet. He handed Sango over to the priestess.

"Damn you fox!" Naraku yelled. Their eyes all flashed back to the irate youkai, who was trying to pull his right hand from his throat.

"It's Shippo," Kagome said. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he watched Naraku's inner battle. _She's right, _he thought. Aoshi's lips pulled back in a faint grimace.

"Shippo!" Inuyasha yelled. "Fight him!"

Naraku struggled for several long moments until his hand finally came back under his control. He smirked to cover up his slight unease as he turned back to the hanyou and his priestess. If he had to, he could release the kitsune from his body. However, doing so would be to lose an advantage. As long as Inuyasha was worried for the well being of his friend, he wouldn't dare fight with all his strength. Besides, Naraku would never give in to a lowly kitsune. He was Naraku. He was the strongest.

"Inuyasha, you can not win against me," Naraku warned.

"Like hell, you Bastard!" Inuyasha growled. "You're not fit to lick my feet." The hanyou paused as he smelled that the shrine had suddenly become surrounded by humans and youkai. His nose wrinkled as he detected the faint smell of demonseed.

"Dammit," he swore. "We have company. Aoshi!" Aoshi turned to him. The Obiwaban had so far only been watching both battles, waiting for an opportunity to strike. The thought rankled him, but he knew that as a mere mortal, no matter his impressive skills, he wasn't able to keep up with the current fights.

"I sense them too," he said calmly. His fingers were itching to use his weapons.

"They're under the control of the demonseed," Inuyasha warned as he dodged an attack from Naraku. "Kagome, I'll handle Naraku. You go help Aoshi with them. Aoshi..." Aoshi nodded at him once in understanding.

"I will protect her," he said. Inuyasha nodded his thanks as he swung the Tetsusaiga at Naraku. Aoshi ran down the temple steps, followed closely by Kagome and Sango.


	40. The Fight Continues

_Sorry for the delayed update. I haven't had much time since spring semester started. I'll update as quickly as I can._

_**Recap: **The final battle began in the last chapter. Sesshoumaru's power grew in Kenshin, causing him to find that he had poison claws again. Inuyasha faced off against Naraku as Kenshin fought Shishio. Naraku was about to kill Kagome when Shippo unexpectantly managed to gain enough control to stop him. Meanwhile, Saito, Kouga, Sano, Namu, and Kirara infiltrated the Imperial palace. Kouga smelled a large amount of demonseed underneath the palace grounds and they have decided to check it out. _

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 40:_ The Fight Continues

"You'd better be right about this wolf," Sano warned. He, Saito, Kouga, and Namu were currently battling their way down through the palace.

"Shut up Rooster," Saito said. "Even I can smell it now." Sanosuke glared at the former Shinsengumi as he punched one of the soldiers. According to Kouga, the Imperial guards all smelled like those spiders. He wrinkled his nose as he raced after the other three. He hated to admit it, but there _was _a growing stench in the air. It grew worse the further down they went.

"You think Kirara's okay?" Namu asked worriedly. He swung Shippo's sword, causing a blast of green foxfire to roar down the enclosed staircase they had just entered. As if in answer, they faintly heard the youkai cat roar somewhere on the Imperial grounds, followed by a faint thunderous crash.

"I believe she's fine," Saito replied dryly. He drove his katanna through the stomach of an unlucky soldier. He knew that they probably were being controlled, but they didn't have the time or luxury of trying not to kill every human and youkai that attacked them.

Saito halted as he saw a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye. Namu started to yell a warning, but the Mibu wolf sliced his sword through the shadows on the wall. A wounded kitsune fell onto the stone steps. Saito looked at him a split second before deciding that he was no longer a threat. He turned and continued down the stairwell.

The former Shinsengumi and the fox hanyou were about to leap down the last few steps when Sano and Kouga called out a warning. Twin catlike roars assaulted his ears, causing them to ring for several minutes after. Saito's eyes shot over to the two huge youkai cats guarding a set of doors. Their golden ears flattened menacingly as bright amber eyes glared at them. They bared their fangs before roaring again.

The thick stench in the enclosed air made even Saito Hajime nauseous.

Kouga hid a disgusted look by smirking at the two lionesses. The smell was overwhelming his and Namu's senses. He wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"There's something behind the door," the wolf growled. He launched himself at the cat youkai and gave a wolf-like howl. The hairs raised on the back of Sanosuke's neck as Kouga's howl rebounded in the enclosed area. Sano smirked as he flexed his fists before launching into the Mastery of Two Layers. His fist landed on one of the lioness just as Saito spun at it with his sword.

The lioness gave a yelp of pain as the impact from Sanosuke knocked her back. Saito rushed in and decapitated the creature an instant later. The two humans turned around to see that Kouga and Namu had also finished off the other lioness. Unlike the lioness they had killed, this one was considerable messier as the wolf had ripped it to shreds with his claws.

"Let's get in there and get this over with," Kouga growled. "I can't take this stench much longer. It's worse than your damn smoke sticks."

"They're called 'cigarettes'," Saito corrected dryly. He too though was ready to get this over with. If the stench was this bad for he and Rooster Head, then he could only imagine how much worse it was for the other two. Sanosuke, also eager to be away, rushed at the heavy doors and brought his fist against it. His Mastery of Two Layers had increased since their encounter with Shishio. The doors smashed open immediately.

The four rushed in and halted as a blast of even fouler air assaulted them. This time both Kouga and Namu actually gagged and very nearly threw up. Saito and Sanosuke held their breaths as they stepped ahead of the weakened youkai and hanyou.

"Holy..." Sanosuke gasped. Saito's eyes widened as he took in the enormous, cocoon like object pulsing in the middle of the room. The darkened chamber was crawling with small spiders as a yellowish-brown slime dripped from the ceiling. He had seen many strange things in his life, especially in the last few weeks, but Saito had _never _seen anything that had horrified him quite like this.

Saito gave a start as Kouga suddenly pulled the two of them back with a sharp jerk. Instincts now on full alert, he realized that the wolf had just saved them from something very unpleasant. Something huge had dropped from the ceiling, right over where he and the Rooster had been standing.

"What the hell is that?" Sano asked warily. The creature shook slightly as it stood up. Eight grotesque legs spread out from underneath the bulky form as hundreds of red eyes stared at them.

"It just got worse," Namu muttered.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kenshin wiped a smear of blood away from his mouth. His fight with Shishio was dragging on longer than he had wanted. Inuyasha was also equally engaged with Naraku. The Tenseiga had begun to pulse at Kenshin's side, but the swordsman couldn't figure out what the sword wanted.

_The Tenseiga wishes to be used._

Kenshin pondered at that thought as he blocked an attack from Shishio. The two of them so far had proved to be equally matched. He had a feeling that if he allowed Sesshoumaru's personality to take over, then his speed and strength would greatly increase. Kenshin had become increasingly aware of his other half since he had begun to switch back and forth between the battle. However, the thought of his youkai soul taking over terrified him.

"Battousai, this battle has been dragging on long enough," Shishio warned. "We must end this." Kenshin leapt out of the way and ran as a barrage of lightning followed closely behind. He finally whipped around and swung his sakabatou at it. The sword glowed a bright silver as it deflected the energy.

_Totousai always did do excellent work._

"Shishio," Kenshin called out. The Tenseiga's message had suddenly become clear to him. "This one took an oath never to kill again, but you have already died. That body is not your own." Kenshin ducked under Shishio's sword and struck him across the neck with the sakabatou. Shishio stumbled back with a growl before regaining his senses.

"Perhaps not, but this body is mine now," Shishio shot back with a smirk. For the first time since their battle, Kenshin felt an unexpected flash of pity.

"Naraku is using you," Kenshin warned. "If his goals are completed, he will send you back to the land of the dead, that he will. Naraku will not tolerate a rival."

"Naraku has control over me," Shishio growled angrily. "This body is an incarnation of his. I couldn't act against him if I wished too."

_He sounds like Kagura._

"That body of yours won't last as long as you believe," Kenshin warned. The Tenseiga continued to glow at his side, allowing his eyes to see what he couldn't before. There was a faint seal that was holding Shishio's soul inside the youkai body. If he sliced through it, then Shishio would be separated from his current body.

"Shishio, if Naraku was out of the way, what would you do?" Kenshin asked. Shishio smirked in reply.

"I would do what I was planning to do when I was a human," he answered. "I'd take over from where Naraku would leave off now." Kenshin sighed. That had been the answer he had been expecting, even though he had vainly hoped it would be otherwise.

A large crash drew both of their attention as Inuyasha crashed through one of the temple walls. The hanyou shook himself with a growl before launching himself at Naraku again. Just beyond the four of them, Kenshin could see Aoshi, Kagome, and Sango fighting off a small hoard of youkai and humans. The three seemed to be trying to avoid killing the mob since they were being controlled by the demonseed. However, as Kenshin could clearly see, that goal was proving to be more difficult as the battle drew on.

_My great niece is still in danger._

Kenshin's blood suddenly boiled at the thought of the young child in Naraku's clutches. Shishio had stolen Inuyasha and Kagome's granddaughter and given her to Naraku.

_How dare they? How dare they attack a child of the Western lands? _The smiling image of a young Rin formed in his mind as she handed him a bouquet of wild flowers. Her image then shifted into a memory of Ayame and Suzume chasing fireflies with Tsubame.

Shishio warily brought his sword in front of him as he saw the pure rage darken Kenshin's face. His mouth pulled back in a snarl as he bared a set of sharp fangs. _Is this the Battousai? _No...it wasn't. Shishio watched as Kenshin's eyes narrowed into glowing red slits. Nearly half of Kenshin's hair had turned the same silver as Inuyasha's. _So this is the Demon of Kyoto._

"Shishio," Kenshin growled. "I will protect the Western lands. With my swords I will protect those who can not protect themselves. You have already died. I will not be breaking my oath." Shishio watched with a strange sense of alarm as Kenshin finally drew the other sword at his side.

Shishio leapt back as Kenshin raced after him. The strange sword in his hands seemed to glow with an unnatural light as Kenshin swung it at him. Shishio jumped out of the way, but the blast of the sword followed him. There was a piercing sensation as his vision split. A blinding light was the last sensation he had as the seal that was holding his soul to his body split.

Kenshin stared at the now empty body before sheathing the Tenseiga and racing to join Inuyasha.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

_"I'm not sure how much longer we can keep this up without killing them," _Sango said. Kagome aimed the bow as she shot an arrow in front of several youkai.

"We can't kill them," Kagome objected. "Naraku's controlling them!"

"Sango is correct," Aoshi stated calmly. "We can not keep fighting like this. Kenshin can always use the Tenseiga to resurrect them if need be." Kagome grimace as she reluctantly agreed with him. She sighed as she notched another arrow and aimed at a group of rifle bearing soldiers.

"Sorry," she whispered. Then she fired her arrow.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Sano!" Kouga shoved the human out of the way as the giant spider crashed down among them. The wolf growled loudly as he silently cursed himself. The stench was weakening his youkai powers.

"Kid, clear us a path!" Sano ordered. Every inch of the room was covered with crawling spiders. Shippo's youkai sword glowed with green fire as Namu swung the blade in a circle. A hot wave of foxfire burned through the stone room, scorching most of the spiders. The giant cocoon remained untouched.

"Noooo!" The giant spider screeched. "Sabra's children!" Saito whirled around in understanding. She was the mother of all the spiders. If they killed her and destroyed the cocoon...

"Kouga!" he yelled. The wolf grimaced as he glared around. He had come to the same conclusion.

"Namu, Sano," Kouga ordered. "Distract her while Saito and I take out that cocoon. Don't let any of her children touch you." Namu nodded as he swung his father's sword at the giant spider. Sanosuke began to taunt the spider as he and Namu ran around it. Kouga and Saito slipped silently around the spider and raced towards the cocoon.

"How're we going to destroy _that_?" Kouga growled. "This stench is weakening me. If I touch her webs, I might get stuck." Saito smirked as he gave a Kouga like growl.

"We're wolves," Saito pointed out. "Are you going to let a spider beat you?" Kouga looked at him in surprise before an identical smirk grew across his face.

"Saito, you're not half bad for a human. You want to join my clan?"

Saito unsheathed his katanna in reply. Kouga grinned as he raked his claws down at the cocoon. His claws sliced through the silky threads that had been holding it to the ceiling. The cocoon dropped with a crash and split partially open. Kouga and Saito paused as hundreds of spiders began to pour out of the opening and race towards them. Without a second thought, the two men turned around and raced in the opposite direction.

"Namu!" Kouga yelled. The spiders were pouring after them in a dark brown flood. Unfortunately, the young fox hanyou and the rooster head were both trying not to get killed by the mother spider. By a stroke of luck, or celestial guidance...Saito wasn't sure what, he spotted a several doors on the opposite end of the chamber that were near them.

"Kouga!" he yelled. Kouga yanked open on of the heavy doors and froze. Saito raced up next to him. "What are you doing Idiot? Get in there!" Saito yelled. Despite the incoming spiders however, Kouga still balked.

"It stinks in there too!" Kouga protested. Saito kicked the wolf through the opening and slammed the door shut behind them. The wolf youkai jumped to his feet and glared at the police officer. Saito, however, ignored him as he took in the contents of the room. The small room was stacked to the ceiling with boxes marked with the three Roman letters of 'TNT'. Boxes of gunpowder were stacked in one corner of the room as various firearms hung on the opposite wall. Three Gatling guns were sitting in the other back corner.

"There's enough firepower in here to blow up the palace," Saito mused. He and Kouga looked at each other and smirked; then they both froze as their predicament dawned on them.

They were trapped in a room filled with explosions as thousands of spiders piled up against the door. If Namu attempted to help them with his foxfire...

"Ah hell..." Kouga muttered.


	41. Awakened Blood

_Sorry for the delayed update. This is the first time that I've had time to write a new chapter. By the way, I have a new website up. The link is on my author's page. So far I've only linked to all my stories on ffnet, but I do plan to put fanart on it as well. I'd like to put some pictures up to go with this story._

_**Recap: **In the last chapter, Kenshin managed to defeat Shishio by using the Tenseiga. This sword of life allowed him to see that a seal of sorcery was holding Shishio's soul to his youkai body. By slicing through it with the Tenseiga, he released Shishio's soul back to the netherworld. _

_Saito, Sanosuke, Kouga, Kirara and Namu also encountered their own problems underneath the Imperial palace. They discovered the source of the demonseed: Sabra, the giant spider youkai who is the mother of the demonseed, as well as the giant cocoon that is holding thousands of spiders. While Sano and Namu attempted to distract Sabra, Saito and Kouga made a brief failed attempt to destroy the cocoon. This attempt trapped them in a room full of explosives while thousands of the demonseed swarmed up against the door. If Namu uses his foxfire to rescue them, it could mean the death of them all. _

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 41:_ Awakened Blood

Inuyasha growled as he gripped the handle of his Tetsusaiga tightly. His fear for Shippo kept interfering with his ability to kill Naraku. _Damn it all. _He had to get past this! Naraku had to be killed! He couldn't worry about his friend.

"Forgive me Shippo," he muttered quietly. The hanyou lord forced himself to see the windscar forming itself around Naraku. _I don't want to kill you fox…_

"Inuyasha," Naraku said. "Enough of this foolishness, this should have ended centuries ago." Inuyasha gripped his sword as he saw Shippo's green eyes glaring coldly at him from Naraku's face. Naraku smirked as he saw the hanyou's hesitation.

"You're just as weak as that fox," Naraku told him. Inuyasha snarled as he suddenly unleashed the Backlash Wave on him.

"Wrong Bastard! That stupid fox has always been a better man than me!"

The north side of the holy complex exploded from the impact of demonic energy. Hope rose in the hanyou's chest, but was dashed a second later when he smelled the bastard's scent.

"Inuyasha!" he heard Kenshin yell. "Behind…" Inuyasha whipped around and brought his Tetsusaiga up as a shield. He hissed as green foxfire forced him back through the scorched remains of the temple.

_Damn it! He teleported out of the way!_

He watched as Kenshin made his own attempt to reach Naraku. Unlike Inuyasha, the former Ishin Shishi's speed was greater. Even so, the youkai teleported out of the way just as his reverse blade sword struck him across his left side. Kenshin leapt out of the way as Naraku flung a deadly cloud of miasma at him. The red haired warrior landed nimbly a few feet from the agitated hanyou.

"It's not his speed," Kenshin pointed out. "This one is faster."

"I know," Inuyasha said darkly. He bared his fangs as he stood up. "It's that teleportation trick of his…and…"

"This one senses it as well," Kenshin said quietly. "He is somehow predicting our moves." He and Inuyasha exchanged glances. Somehow, they had both realized, Naraku was reading their thoughts. Any good fighter always planned several moves ahead.

"We need to…" Kenshin started. He and Inuyasha jumped out of the way as Naraku sent a blast of demonic energy at them. Kenshin unsheathed the Tenseiga and held it up for defense. A protective barrier formed around him as he knelt by a broken statue of the Buddha.

_We need to slow him down or divert his attention somehow._

Kenshin's eyes drifted over to where the others were fighting the demonseed possessed humans and youkai. To his dismay, they had given up trying to spare the lives of their attackers. Aoshi was spinning in a whirlwind of death as Kagome fired her sacred arrows, trying to pierce the spiders in the fighters' chests.

_This has to end. I have to…INUYASHA!_

Kenshin stared in dismay as Inuyasha suddenly threw him his Tetsusaiga. There was a look of grim resignation in the hanyou's eyes. _What is that fool…_

"Inuyasha!" he yelled suddenly. "You baka half-breed! You need the Tetsusaiga!" A sudden memory flashed through Kenshin's mind as he reached for Inuyasha's sword. It rejected his touch.

"Inuyasha!" Kenshin yelled again. "Without the Tetsusaiga, you won't be able to control your youkai blood!" He saw Inuyasha's lips tighten grimly as he glared at Naraku. Naraku, who had been briefly taken back in surprise, laughed and started to taunt him.

"Inuyasha!" Kenshin yelled. He reached for the sword and again it rejected his touch.

"Shut up Kenshin!" Inuyasha barked. "This bastard can read our minds. If I go berserk, he can't read me!"

_No! I can't let him…_

A blow from Naraku knocked the hanyou down the stone steps. Kagome gave a horrified shriek as her beloved smashed into the ground. As the others turned, as if in slow motion, they saw Inuyasha's eyes glow red.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Shit! We have to get out of here!" Kouga yelled. He didn't need to look to know that Saito's face was equally strained. One flicker of Namu's foxfire and they would all die.

On the bright side though, they would probably take all of the spiders with them.

"Kouga," Saito said quickly. "There were two other rooms to the right of this one. Can you break through the walls?" Kouga cast him a sharp look before flexing his claws. As they both well knew, Kouga's attempt at wall smashing could very well bring the foundation down on them.

"Smashing the walls isn't the problem," Kouga muttered. However, seeing as they had no other choice, he leapt and kicked the far wall with a shattering display of strength.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Watch it Sano!" Namu warned. Sanosuke whirled out of the way as several smaller spiders dropped from the ceiling over his head. The young fox hanyou sent a small wave of foxfire at the ceiling, burning the demonseeds clinging there. He then rolled and struck like lightning, severing one of the youkai's eight legs with his father's sword.

"Where've the stupid wolves gone to?" Sano suddenly asked. Namu cast his eyes around until he saw a flood of the brown spiders swarming up the far wall. He could just barely see the outlines of three doors.

Namu raised the sword, intending to use his foxfire. A sudden shaking crash made him hesitate as the stones on the wall cracked.

"Kouga? Saito?" he yelled. He very faintly heard Kouga bellow something about not using his foxfire. The young man gave a yelp as something heavy and sticky hit him in the back. The fox hanyou flew forward and accidentally released the sword as a mass of white spider webs glued him to the floor.

"KID!" Sano yelled. Namu ignited a small wave of foxfire, but it had little effect. Being only half-youkai, his foxfire usually did little damage. It was only through his father's youkai sword that his abilities were amplified enough to be destructive.

"**NAMU!"**

Namu growled as he felt the ground quake as the giant spider landed over him. He hissed as several drops of venom burned his exposed skin. _Damn it… _The giant spider filled him with an irrational fear as his body suddenly gave a shudder. His eyes glowed red as a powerful blast of foxfire suddenly slammed the spider up into the ceiling, severing the spider webs.

The fox hanyou cracked his fingers as his claws began to lengthen. Sanosuke stared in shock as a savage aura overtook the young man. The giant spider shook herself as she launched herself at Namu.

"Dirty half-breed! Sabra will feed you to her childrenzz!" She hissed. Sanosuke watched in growing alarm as Namu's physical form continued to change slightly. His eyes glared a vicious red as he suddenly grew a fox tail.

"My youkai blood…is far superior to yours," Namu growled. He flew at the spider with extended claws, ripping her apart at the first attack. He flexed his claws as he felt the strange urge to kill more. His eyes darted around until they landed on the suddenly unsure Sanosuke.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. "INUYASHA!"

"_Oh no!" Sango cried. "He's transformed!" _Aoshi sliced through the torso of one of the weaker youkai as cast a glance at the hanyou. To his sudden apprehension, Inuyasha's eyes had now turned a savage red. Two stripes had suddenly grown across his cheeks as he cracked his growing claws.

_What is this? _Aoshi thought warily. _He's almost like a full blood youkai now. _A feral roar thundered across the destroyed temple complex as the enraged Inuyasha launched himself up the stone steps into the air.

"We have to stop him!" Kagome yelled. "He needs the Tetsusaiga!"

"Why?" Aoshi asked.

"_When he's like this, Inuyasha can't distinguish from friend or enemy!" _Sango shouted. _"His human soul will be devoured by his youkai blood! The Tetsusaiga usually keeps it in check, but…"_

"But now he is a danger to everyone, including himself," Aoshi realized out loud. He narrowed his eyes as his gaze followed the now berserk hanyou's rampage of destruction. Inuyasha was charging recklessly at Naraku, ignoring each deep wound that the youkai inflicted on him. The hanyou was attacking with such a ferocious abandonment of humanity that even Aoshi was disturbed.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome yelled. Aoshi inwardly cringed at the look of horror on the priestess's face. It reminded him of Misao's horror when he had tried to kill her while being under the influence of the demonseed.

"How do we stop this?" Aoshi asked quickly.

"_We need to get the Tetsusaiga back to Inuyasha," _Sango said quickly. Aoshi made a quick survey of his surroundings as he debated on what to do. Kagome and Sango would probably be all right if he went to help Kenshin, however, he had promised Inuyasha that he would protect his wife.

Aoshi did not wish to break a promise by putting the priestess in danger. However, Kagome made the decision for him by firing a rapid succession of arrows before sprinting up the steps after Inuyasha. Aoshi had no choice but to follow her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Kid?" Sano asked, taking a wary step back. Namu seemed to be fighting a losing battle with himself.

"Stay…back…" Namu finally forced out. "I…don't know…what I'm going to do next…"

Sanosuke warily eyed the angry swarms of spiders as his gaze wandered back to the changed Namu. A bead of sweat ran down his face and neck as his heart beat faster at the changed hanyou. _What the hell's wrong with him?_

There was a small explosion as Kouga burst out from the far right room from where he and Saito had been. The wolf leapt over the sea of spiders as he raked his claws at the cocoon in the center of the room. It ripped open as several deep gashes cut into the floor.

A rapid succession of gunfire caught Sano's attention. Saito was firing a Gatling gun at a flood of spiders. Kouga jumped back, grabbed the police officer, and zipped across the room to land next to Sanosuke.

Namu growled dangerously at them.

"Hell," Kouga growled. They did _not _need this!

"What's wrong with him?" Saito asked quietly. His hand automatically rested on his katanna as the agitated fox hanyou snarled at them.

"It's his youkai blood," Kouga explained quickly. "Shit! He's never transformed like this before! In this state, he can't remember that we're his friends!"

"What do we do?" Sanosuke asked warily. Kouga smirked as he leapt forward and punched the young fox hard in the face.

"Saito, get his sword!" Kouga yelled. He slung the now unconscious teenager over his shoulder. His blue eyes narrowed at the thousands of spiders still left. How were they going to destroy…

"Saito," Kouga said suddenly. "Kirara can breathe fire. Let's blow this place up."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Inuyasha! You fool!_

Kenshin watched in dismay as Inuyasha charged Naraku yet again. _We still don't know where the girl is! _Why? Why had Inuyasha thrown the Tetsusaiga away? It was true that while in his berserk mode, Naraku couldn't read his thoughts. However, predicting the hanyou was easy. Inuyasha kept getting back up after being knocked down, only to charge recklessly yet again.

_My younger brother is an idiot!_

"Tetsusaiga," Kenshin pleaded. The sword would still not let him touch it. "I have to help Inuyasha." He could feel a flicker in his mind, as if the sword were debating over this. On impulse, Kenshin suddenly grasped the hilt.

The sword didn't reject him.

Without thinking, Kenshin caused the Tetsusaiga to transform. He felt a sort of cold resolve as he cut through the windscar between him and Naraku. Inuyasha was knocked back by the blast. Kenshin gave a low growl when he saw that Naraku had escaped again.

_No, _he amended himself. Naraku's right arm had been blown off. Kenshin ran over to the temporarily dazed Inuyasha and placed the Tetsusaiga in his right hand. The crimson red glow faded from his eyes as he slowly regained a sense of himself.

Inuyasha groaned as he looked up into Kenshin's stern face. He looked down at the Tetsusaiga in his hands and back up at the shorter man. Kenshin unsheathed the Tenseiga and healed the hanyou of his wounds.

"You should not be so foolish as to risk losing your _soul…_little brother."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he locked gazes with the impassive eyes that he knew, temporarily, belonged to Sesshoumaru. The hanyou lord caught a brief flicker of genuine concern in his brother's eyes.

"You have a better idea?" Inuyasha retorted half-heartedly. He didn't want to admit that what he had done hadn't worked out as he had intended. Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered over to Naraku, who had grown back his missing arm.

"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru said hesitantly. Unlike before, he also remembered parts of his new life. Inuyasha looked up at him in surprise as he caught the hint of uncertainty.

"What?" Inuyasha asked. Sesshoumaru paused as he eyed the sakabatou at his side.

"Perhaps," Sesshoumaru said. "Humans are not as distasteful as I had once thought."

"Feh," Inuyasha smirked. "I could have told you that a long time ago." He gripped his Tetsusaiga as they turned towards Naraku.

"We should end this," Kenshin/Sesshoumaru said. "This one…_I_…want to see Kaoru again." The two men turned their eyes as Naraku gave a sharp laugh.

"How touching," Naraku smirked. "The great Sesshoumaru…in love with a mortal woman? How disgustingly pitiful." Inuyasha held up his sword as Sesshoumaru/Kenshin unsheathed the sakabatou.

"Bring it on," Inuyasha growled. Naraku's eyes narrowed dangerously, glowing white. The ground began to shake as he unleashed the rest of his power that he had been holding back.


	42. The Swords of the Fang

_Author's note: I just have a short announcement. Even thought this story is almost "officially" over, I'm going to add a few bonus chapters. These will be between 2-5 chapters and will basically be one-shots of ideas I couldn't fit into the story. Two of the short stories that I've thought of so far are "Yahiko and Namu's Grand Adventure" and "Kagome the Matchmaker"._

_**Recap: **Both Inuyasha and Namu went into their youkai forms, but were brought out of it before either could cause much harm. Namu killed the mother youkai spider and Kouga, after knocking the young fox unconscious, wants to destroy the rest of her children. Inuyasha and Kenshin, meanwhile, have both been working together to fight Naraku, but they have not yet succeeded…_

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 42:_ The Swords of the Fang

"Geez, the kid's still out…"

Saito ignored Sanosuke as he lit a cigarette. The two of them were currently standing near the still unconscious Namu. They were a short ways from the Imperial house, waiting for Kirara and Kouga to make their final move.

Kouga had destroyed the far wall and flung as much of the TNT and gunpowder at the cocoon as he could before the spiders began to converge on him and the others. They had then made a hasty exit as the wolf sought out the cat youkai. He had quickly explained the situation to Kirara.

The two humans had then run as quickly as they could to gain some distance while the two youkai headed back down to the underground chamber.

"You think they're okay?" Sano asked, trying not to appear worried. "I mean, I know they're youkai but it's still…"

A deep thunderous boom drew their attention back to the Imperial palace. Pieces of earth were flying from where the chamber had exploded from beneath the ground. There was a gaping hole to the left of the palace as the immediate area began to cave in. Large cracks formed up on the side of the palace that had been nearest the blast.

"Where's…" Sano started. Saito calmly took a puff of his cigarette as he pointed above them. The younger man looked up to see that Kouga was sitting across Kirara's back, who was floating up in the sky.

"H..how…?" Sano stuttered. "Even you two aren't that fast!" Kouga smirked down at him.

"I used my brain," he said. Saito raised an eyebrow then and took his cigarette out of his mouth in order to study the wolf.

"You possess one?" Saito asked dryly. Kouga began to smirk, and then stopped as he caught the insult.

"Shut up Saito! I'll have you know that I'm more intelligent than…"

"More intelligent than 'That Mutt Faced Inuyasha'?" Saito asked. "By your own admittance, that is pathetically little." He hadn't yet met this Inuyasha, but he'd had more than enough of listening to Kouga's tirades on the hanyou lord

Kouga growled at him.

Saito calmly inhaled his sacred nicotine.

"Well?" the former Shinsengumi asked.

"Well _what_?" the wolf growled.

"You're not going to explain your new found intelligence?"

"Shut up!"

"I see, so you _didn't_ find it…"

"I said shut up!" Kouga warned. "If you must know Mortal, I made a trail with that gunpowder stuff and had it lead down to the chamber. That way, Kirara and I had a few extra seconds to escape." The wolf's blue eyes studied Saito as he waited for his response. Saito let out another puff of smoke before responding.

"Amateur."

As Kouga growled at the clearly amused Saito, a confused Namu finally woke up.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sweat dripped down Inuyasha and Kenshin's faces as the sky quickly darkened. Foul energy lashed out at them, catching the two men off guard. Their swords automatically formed a shield around them as the full potential of Naraku's dark power was unleashed around them.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. "Stay back!"

The priestess, of course, ignored her husband and shot a sacred arrow into the maelstrom of dark energy. It negated the effects somewhat as some of the energy was purified. It was also sufficient to raise Naraku's ire.

"Wench!" He yelled. Naraku sent his demonic miasma at the priestess. Aoshi acted quickly by scooping her up in his arms and escaping before the toxic gas hit. Inuyasha reacted almost instantaneously by unleashing his windscar on the youkai.

Kenshin found that he was glad for the protection that the Tenseiga gave to him. The titanic clash of energy was quickly demolishing the surrounding area. Inuyasha gave a yelp as he was thrown back from Naraku's counterattack. The swordsman took this instant to make his move.

The Dragon's Flight of Heaven, the Hiten Mitsurugi's ultimate technique.

He drew his sakabatou and stepped forward with his left leg an instant later. With God-like speed he slashed at Naraku, who tried to block it. However, as Kenshin had half expected, the youkai teleported out of the way just as he made the final strike.

"Fools," Naraku laughed. "You can not touch me."

"This one fears that you are correct," Kenshin replied. "Somehow, you are able to predict our moves by reading our thoughts." Naraku smirked at that, confirming Kenshin's suspicions.

"How are we supposed to fight him then?" Inuyasha growled softly, having come up quietly to Kenshin's left side. The red haired swordsman's lips tightened.

"Inuyasha…why did father give us these swords?" Sesshoumaru asked. Inuyasha gave him a sharp look as he realized that Kenshin had yet again faded briefly to the background.

"How the hell should I know?" The hanyou growled. The two men jumped out of the way as the ground exploded beneath them. Toxic miasma turned into a liquid form as it reached up in an attempt to grab each of their legs. Inuyasha hissed as the miasmic liquid burnt through the red fabric on his leg. He twisted out of it with an enraged howl and landed next to Kenshin, who had been faster.

"Inuyasha," Kenshin/Sesshoumaru said again. "I believe that father intended our swords to work together."

"How?" Inuyasha asked. "Your sword can't kill."

"It can't kill the living, no." Sesshoumaru's golden eyes narrowed at his brother. "However, little brother, that which exists from the netherworld can not escape the Tenseiga's wrath."

"What are you saying?" Inuyasha asked. "What good does that do us? Naraku's not undead, he's still alive." They were interrupted by the sudden laughter of Naraku. The youkai's green eyes flashed in wry amusement as he crossed his arms.

"What _now_?" Inuyasha asked icily. Naraku smirked at them.

"I am laughing, half-breed, because there are two flaws in the plan that your brother has thought up," he said. Sesshoumaru/Kenshin growled at him. He had also come to the same conclusions.

"Lord _Sesshoumaru _seems to have the idea that by using your two swords together, you may open up a gate to the netherworld and hereby seal me for all eternity in the firey depths of hell. Is that not so, Sesshoumaru?" Naraku asked. Inuyasha gave his brother a sharp look.

"Is that _possible_?" he asked. Sesshoumaru grimaced.

"This one does not know," he answered, unconsciously slipping back into Kenshin's manner of speech. "This one faintly remembers our father speaking with Totousai about the swords, though he remembers little, that he does." Inuyasha's eyes widened before turning back to glare at Naraku.

"All right you bastard, you said that there were two flaws, care to enlighten us?" he barked out. However, it was Sesshoumaru who answered the hanyou.

"With his ability to teleport, it is uncertain we should be able to seal him, that it is. Besides, he should most likely escape as we were making our attack," he said. "Also…Shippo is still inside him. If we managed to do this, we would also condemn him to hell."

Inuyasha gripped the Tetsusaiga tightly. _Shit. _He had only recently talked himself into being able to kill Shippo in order to kill Naraku…but to send him to hell?

"Damn," he muttered. Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered over to his brother before looking back at their foe.

"This one agrees."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Put me down!" Kagome ordered. "I have to be with Inuyasha!" Aoshi grimaced slightly as the priestess swatted his head painfully. He almost considered dropping her and letting her fend for herself.

That is what Saito Hajime would have done.

"_I'm not sure what we can do," _Sango advised. _"We do not want to be in the way. Naraku could very easily use us against Inuyasha and Kenshin."_

"Yes," Aoshi said. "We must be calm. We will watch and wait until we have a moment to strike."

Kagome glared at him and a bead of sweat ran down his neck. He had thought that Kaoru, Megumi, and Misao were stubborn, but Kagome and Sango were much worse. At least Sango was able to retain a cooler head in order to review the situation tactically.

"I promised Inuyasha that I would protect you," Aoshi said dispassionately. "I do not break my promises."

Kagome cast another glare at him before crossing her arms and sighing. Sango and Aoshi both had a point. They would just have to wait until they had an opportunity to catch Naraku off guard.

"Fine," Kagome admitted unwillingly. "But _put me down_!" she ordered. Aoshi quickly put her down in order to avoid another swing to the head. His left temple was still throbbing from her last effort.

"You are somewhat impossible to deal with," Aoshi stoically informed her. Kagome smiled innocently up at him, which he did not buy for an instant. Then to his great annoyance, she reached up and pinched his left cheek affectionately.

"Just remember," Kagome said sweetly. "I'm older than you."

"Hnn," he answered, swatting her hand away.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey, what was that?" Sanosuke asked. "It sounds like a storm." The group turned their eyes towards the east.

"It's not a storm," Namu said. He rubbed his head, which was still sore from where Kouga had punched him. Kirara growled softly in agreement.

"He's right," Kouga growled. "There's a lot of demonic energy over there. I'd bet anything that it's Naraku!" The wolf paused and sniffed the air. The wind was blowing from the direction of the battle.

"Hnn," he muttered out loud. "I can just pick up the scent of Kenshin and that mutt face." Saito, Namu, and Sanosuke all gave him a sharp look. Kirara growled.

"Let's go," Sano suggested. "They might need our help."

Kouga bared his fangs in reply as he flexed his claws.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Backlash Wave!"

Inuyasha's attack forced Naraku's youkai energy to come back against him. However, as before, the youkai simply anticipated the attack and teleported out of the way. Kenshin/Sesshoumaru leapt out of the way to avoid the deadly miasma just as Naraku fired Shippo's foxfire at him.

_Damn. There must be a way…_

"Fools," Naraku admonished. "To think that you could kill I, Naraku. Your deaths will come momentarily." Hundreds of youkai suddenly poured forth from his body. Inuyasha was preparing to unleash his windscar when Kagome's air zipped by and flew through the mass of youkai. An instant later, several more killed the remaining youkai, with one flying on past towards Naraku. He teleported out of the way before it could hit.

"WENCH!" Naraku yelled. He reached out both hands to unleash an attack on the priestess and her tall protector. His hands froze suddenly and began to shake. _No…not again! Impossible!_

Naraku's eyes widened as a clawed hand suddenly thrust itself out from his chest. Inuyasha and Kenshin also froze as Shippo's head and shoulders forced themselves out of Naraku's body.

"INUYASHA! KENSHIN!" Shippo yelled. His green eyes were strained. "Do it now! I can hold him!"

"Fox!" Naraku roared. Shippo's body sank a few centimeters back into the youkai's body. Inuyasha and Kenshin both stared at him with startled expressions.

"You idiot fox!" Inuyasha bellowed. "You really want to go to hell?" The kitsune gave a dark smirk as he sank slightly more back into Naraku. Then he gave a growl as he gritted his teeth.

"DO IT YOU STUPID BAKA!" Shippo bellowed back. "I CAN HOLD HIM! KILL US!"

"Inuyasha…" Kenshin murmured. He tightened his hold on the Tenseiga. "Perhaps…perhaps if I'm fast enough I can…" Inuyasha's face tightened.

"If you go after Shippo, you might get killed too. That, and if you were able to pull him out, Naraku might be able to teleport to safety while you two…" Inuyasha's voice broke. His heart seemed on the verge of splitting. Shippo's anxious voice forced him out of his chaotic thoughts.

"**INUYASHA! DO IT!"**

"Kenshin," Inuyasha swallowed the lump in his throat. "We don't have a choice." The two men looked at each other before swinging their swords instantaneously.

"WINDSCAR!"

"TENSEIGA!"


	43. Endings

_**Recap: **Inuyasha and Kenshin/Sesshoumaru believe they know of a way to defeat Naraku. By using the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga, they may be able to open a gate to the netherworld. However, their plan to seal him inside is complicated. Shippo has been able to temporarily gain back enough control to hold Naraku still. If the brothers continue, the kitsune will be sealed in hell along with Naraku._

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 43:_ Endings

"WINDSCAR!"

"TENSEIGA!"

Twin waves of energy shot towards Shippo and Naraku. Naraku hissed in fury as the Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga's attacks swirled around its brother, each glowing more brightly as it reacted off the other.

There was an unnatural stillness to the air, as the world was holding its collective breath.

Kenshin and Inuyasha shielded their eyes as a sudden bright flash of light threatened to blind them. It was followed shortly after by a thunderous boom. Kenshin forced his eyes open in order to see.

He gave a sharp intake of breath. Thousands of ghostly arms appeared to be reaching through a doorway. They snaked around Naraku and Shippo, tightening their hold around the two men.

"Shippo!" Inuyasha yelled.

Naraku roared in hatred as the demonic hands began to pull him and the kitsune down. His eyes glowed a furious red as he lashed out with energy. However, powerful that he might be, he was still inferior to the powers that lay in the next world.

"Fox!" Naraku threatened. Inuyasha stared as he saw the grim smirk on the fox's face. _I can't let him die! _His hands tightened on his sword. _But even if I were able…Naraku could escape._

"Inuyasha!" Kenshin suddenly yelled. He pointed his hand at the duo. Horrific screams filled his ears as the gate to the netherworld widened. More deformed hands latched on to the pair. However, this wasn't what got the swordsman's attention.

Naraku had managed to cast Shippo from his body. Demonic hands wrapped around the freed fox, who was too weak to attempt to fight back. _Damn! _Inuyasha thought. _Now Naraku can…_

There was a blazing trail of light as something zipped by Inuyasha's ear. A single arrow embedded itself into a surprised Naraku's chest before he could teleport to freedom. There was a sharp twang as another arrow flew by the hanyou's ear.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. She, Sango, and Aoshi raced up to join the other two. The priestess gripped the possessed bow determinedly as she gazed out at Naraku.

"That should hold him," she said grimly. "At least long enough until…SHIPPO!"

Shippo, now unconscious, had been pulled halfway down through the gate. Without giving a thought, they raced towards the fox.

"Kagome! Aoshi! Stay back!" Inuyasha ordered. "Kenshin and I will get him!" _At least, I hope we… _Inuyasha sniffed suddenly as he smelled the five newcomers.Kirara, Namu, Kouga, Sanosuke and an unknown human male came down from the sky.

"Mutt Face!" Kouga shouted. "What the hell's…"

"I don't have time Wolf!" Inuyasha shouted back. "Protect Kagome for me!" With that, the hanyou turned and raced after Kenshin, who was nearly at the gate. Kouga's eyes followed them and widened at what he saw.

"What the hell is…?" Sano started.

"I think that _is _hell," Kouga growled back. "Rooster, stay here with the others." He growled to himself before also racing after Kenshin. He soon caught up to Inuyasha, being the faster of the two.

"What happened?" Kouga yelled. Inuyasha growled in reply.

"No time Baka! Let's get him first!"

Another of Kagome's arrows zipped by them to further seal Naraku from escaping. The demonic hands were quickly pulling him down as well. Inuyasha and Kouga gritted their teeth as they latched their eyes on to Kenshin and Shippo.

"How are we going to get him out?" Kouga growled. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he caught sight of the red haired swordsman and came to a sudden halt.

"The Tenseiga," Inuyasha hissed. "Kouga, stay back! I'm not sure what Kenshin's doing, but we might get in the way." He and Kouga suddenly each gave a yelp as several demonic hands grabbed their ankles.

"Damn!" Inuyasha yelled. He felt himself being pulled towards the gate. The hanyou swung his sword down at the ghostly hands, but to no avail. The Tetsusaiga could only work on the living.

"This isn't good," Kouga muttered. He tried to rip through the hands with his claws. A ghostly tendril wrapped around his outstretched arm and began to pull him forward as well.

"Inuyasha! Kouga!" Kagome screamed. Aoshi placed a hand on her shoulder to prevent her from racing after them. He knew full well that there was nothing they could do.

"The Battousai…" Saito murmured. He and Aoshi stared wordlessly at the red haired figure in the distance. Whereas Inuyasha and Kouga were also being attacked by the ghostly hands, Kenshin seemed to be immune to it.

"Kenshin…" Sano muttered.

………………………………………………………………….

Kenshin reached a hand out to grab the unconscious kitsune. Horrific, ghostly screams rent his ears as he forced his way through the field of demonic hands. He briefly had a vision of walking over a field of skulls. A faint image of Shishio smirked at him across a river of blood, as if mocking him.

The Tenseiga pulsed furiously in his hand as Kenshin swung it at the image. The image of Hell shattered. Kenshin sliced then through the demonic hands that we imprisoning Shippo.

"You can not have him," Kenshin said coldly. His hair flickered between silver and red as he threateningly held up the Tenseiga. The demonic hands seemed to recoil from the aura of the youkai sword in his hands. Kenshin's eyes glimmered a dangerous crimson red as he whipped around to also slice through the hands that were binding Inuyasha and Kouga.

"Be gone," he ordered. A great youkai aura poured out of the swordsman's body as Sesshoumaru's soul threatened to overwhelm his human body. The Tenseiga continued to glow in his hands.

After several long moments, the gate finally pulled Naraku inside and closed.

"Kenshin!"

He faintly heard Inuyasha call out his name. Kenshin had the sensation of shaking his head, as if to clear his mind. Great enormous power, power that he had never felt before, was threatening to burn through his body.

_My body can no longer hold my youkai power._

Kenshin's hand loosened around Shippo's arm and released the kitsune from his grasp. Whatever restraints that had been formerly holding his youkai soul in check seemed to have vanished.

"Kenshin!"

Another call. Kenshin's body continued to tremble as the dormant youkai energy in his body continued to wake up. His vision blurred and became a fuzzy red haze.

_I'll die if this continues._

A pulse of his youkai energy pushed back Inuyasha and Kouga as they attempted to reach him. It flashed out, striking the surrounding area. His body continued to tremble as his uncontrolled youkai soul threatened to destroy his frail human body. He unconsciously dropped his sword.

_I can't control it!_

A vision of Kaoru floated into his mind, clouding out all other sensations. She smiled sweetly at him and Kenshin could almost smell her scent.

_I want to see her._

He couldn't die. It would destroy her.

Images of Sanosuke, Megumi, Yahiko, Inuyasha, all of the people who had come to care for him flashed through his mind, always with Kaoru at the center. It would destroy all of them.

_Kaoru!_

His body began to shudder as his youkai energy began to diminish and pull back inside of him. Her face continued to loom in his mind. She held a bokken now. The imaginary Kaoru brandished the wooden sword angrily at him and Kenshin got the message.

_Kaoru…this one won't die yet._

Kenshin collapsed as the rest of the latent youkai energy returned to its sleep, yet again to lie dormant in his body. The last image he had before closing his eyes was of a distant Saito and Aoshi staring at him with uncharacteristic surprise.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kenshin opened his eyes some time later. He gave a groan as he attempted to sit up. His entire body ached.

"You should rest," said an unfamiliar voice. Kenshin looked up to see a silver haired woman. She had red eyes, as well as bat ears on her head.

_She's a hanyou, _his inner voice thought. She smiled down at him.

"My name is Shiori," she said. "We're at Inuyasha's castle in the Western lands." A soft noise caused Kenshin to turn his head. Both Megumi and Kaoru were sitting at his side.

"K..Kaoru…" Kenshin murmured. Kaoru placed a hand gently on his face and didn't remove it for a long time.

"I was worried about you," she murmured. Kenshin smiled as he weakly reached a hand up to grasp hers. Kaoru blushed slightly at this contact, but didn't move her hand.

"This one would have died if not for you," Kenshin said quietly. "My soul threatened to overwhelm my body after Naraku was defeated. It was your face that pulled this one back…"

"Hah! It's about time!" Inuyasha barked. The hanyou bent down to smirk at Kaoru and Kenshin.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. "Let them be!" The hanyou smirked before wandering off to go see Shippo, leaving the priestess to apologize for Inuyasha interrupting them.

The kitsune was sitting not far from Kenshin. Namu and Sango were sitting by his side, while his wife and two older daughters were helping Inuyasha's daughter to scout the Western lands for any remaining youkai.

"You okay?" Inuyasha asked. Shippo gave a grimace as Jinegi, another hanyou, reattached his severed arm. Jinegi and Shiori, the two hanyous that they had long ago encountered had eventually met and fallen in love. The two hanyous had later become renowned healers in the youkai world.

"I've been better," Shippo said dryly. He was still amazed by the change of attitude his son had towards him. Never once since he had woken up had Namu said an ill word towards him. The young hanyou had instead insisted on staying by his father's side.

"Where're the others?" the kitsune asked. Inuyasha smirked.

"_Aoshi!" Misao yelled happily. She threw her arms around the tall swordsman, not caring what his reaction would be._

"_Misao," Aoshi said quietly. "We are all alright." Misao grinned at him before turning around to see Kouga and Saito watching them. Saito hid a smirk by lighting a new cigarette. The wolf, on the other hand, was giving the young woman a curious look._

"_What?" Misao asked him icily. Kouga scratched his head as he peered at her._

"_A weasel?" he questioned._

"_I'M NOT A WEASEL!"_

_Saito spit out his cigarette and gave a rare chuckle as the enraged Misao threw several shuriken at the retreating Kouga._

"_You sure look like a weasel to me!" Kouga yelled back._

"_SHUT UP!" Misao roared, chasing after him._

"They're okay," Inuyasha said dryly. "The Weasel Girl tried to kill Kouga and Miroku possessed Aoshi."

"Wait a minute, the monk did what?" Shippo asked in surprise. Inuyasha smirked again.

"_Curious," Aoshi said. He leaned against a door frame as he watched Megume, Shiori and Jinegi tend to the wounded. Yahiko's bokken was currently tucked into his belt. He and Miroku had spent the last forty-five minutes discussing the Naraku's origins._

_Aoshi cast his eyes over to where Megumi and Misao were currently standing. They were side by side as they glared down at Yahiko, who had committed some offense against them._

_Aoshi suddenly felt his hand twitch and his mind briefly went blank._

_Megume and Misao stiffened as they each suddenly felt a hand caressing their rear ends. They each whipped around and planted a hand on the face of Aoshi. They gaped at the tall man, who flashed them an uncharacteristic lecherous grin._

_All of a sudden, Aoshi's face darkened as he quickly pulled the possessed bokken out of his belt and threw it at the wall. He unsheathed his short swords and chased after the dead monk, who was trying to escape down the hall._

"_Miroku!" Aoshi threatened. Miroku chose not to reply as he sent the bokken flying down the hall._

Shippo chuckled as he looked over at Kenshin and Kaoru. Kaoru was sitting quietly next to Kenshin. The youkai marks on his face had disappeared. The part of his hair that had been silver had since reverted back to red. His swords lay not far from him.

"It was close, wasn't it?" Shippo said quietly.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said. He looked down at Sango and Namu, who were anxiously watching Jinegi reattach their father's arm.

"Finished," Jinegi said quietly. The giant hanyou wiped his hands on a cloth as Shippo moved his arm experimentally.

"I guess you'll want your sword back," Namu said. Shippo gave him an unreadable expression before placing a hand on his son's head.

"No," Shippo said quietly. "It's yours now." He pulled his oldest child into an embrace. Tears glinted in Namu's eyes as he tightened his arms around his father.

…………………………………..

_The next chapter is "Epilogue", which is the official ending of this story. However, as I stated before, I have a small series of shorts I'm going to add as bonus chapters._


	44. Epilogue

**The Samurai of Tomorrow**

_Chapter 44:_ Epilogue

"Hold on Kenji, we're almost there."

"I wanna get down!"

"Kenji! Hold still!" Kaoru attempted vainly to get the young child to keep still. Giving up, she turned to glare at her husband. "Kenshin! Control your son!"

Kenshin smiled as he reached his hands out to the boy. Kenji grinned widely as he ran to his father's arms.

"Almost there?" the boy asked.

"Almost there," Kenshin promised. He, Kaoru, Kenji, Yahiko, and Megumi were on their way to the Western lands. Hachi had come over to give them a lift, so they were currently floating over somewhere in the country side.

"Hopefully Rooster hasn't got into trouble," Yahiko muttered. The sixteen year old crossed his arms and gave an Inuyasha like smirk. Sanosuke had left yesterday with Shippo and Saito.

"Look," Hachi said. "It's up ahead."

The four humans looked on ahead to see Inuyasha's lands appear in the distance. Yahiko snickered to himself as he thought about the fight he and Namu would have. The fox hanyou and his younger sister had since also become Kaoru's students in the Kamiya Kasshin.

Perhaps they could try ambushing Inuyasha again.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Okina!" Misao bellowed. "Hurry up or you'll be left behind!"

Kirara mewed to herself as she, Misao, and Aoshi waited for Okina. Inuyasha and Kagome had decided to invite everyone over to their castle to meet their newborn son.

The cat youkai had flown over to give them a ride. She spent part of her time in Tokyo since Namu and Sango had started training at Kaoru's dojo. The cat also occasionally helped Saito Hajime when he felt he needed her instincts on a case. The policemen always paid her for her efforts with some fresh fish from the market.

"Old Man!" Misao yelled. Her new husband checked their bags to be certain that they weren't forgetting anything as they waited for the old pervert.

"Perhaps you should check on him," Aoshi said. "He is most likely trying to find some new piece of interesting literature to show Miroku."

Misao grumbled to herself and stalked into the house. The two perverts had become good friends over the past few years. Okina even occasionally allowed the monk to briefly possess him so that he might be able to interact with the ladies.

Which, of course, irritated Sango to no end.

"**OLD MAN!"** Misao threatened. **"GET OUT HERE!"**

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Come to Grandpa," Inuyasha said. He held his hands out to his granddaughter Izayoi. She looked at him with wide golden eyes and then looked over at her other grandfather.

"No, don't listen to him. Come to me!" Kouga insisted. He and Inuyasha glared at each other as they competed for the attention of their grandchild. The dark haired girl looked back and forth until a new scent caught her attention.

"Uncle Kenny!"

The young girl streaked off and plowed into Kenshin's legs. She hugged his legs and insisted on being picked up, much to the chagrin of her grandfathers.

"Traitor!" Kouga yelled. Inuyasha, however, was appeased when Kenji launched himself at the hanyou. The young boy grinned as he gave a playful tug on the man's dog ears.

"Uncle Inuyasha play?" he asked. Inuyasha grinned as he tousled the boy's hair.

"Sure. We'll play later," the hanyou promised.

"_How are you Kenji?" _Miroku asked. His bokken was tucked into Inuyasha's sash next to the Tetsusaiga. The boy grinned at the wooden sword.

"Mr. Bokken!" Kenji yelled. Inuyasha gave a bark of laughter as the monk grumbled inside the sword.

"Miroku, it's Miroku," the dead monk corrected yet again. He swore; the boy did it just on purpose to annoy him.

They turned around at the sound of a crash, followed by two yells. Namu and Yahiko attacked each other with their bokkens before racing down the hallway. The young fox hanyou had his father's sword stuck in his sash as well, which Shippo had given to him several years ago.

"Get back here Fox!" Yahiko threatened. Namu paused long enough to smirk and call back.

"Better hurry up if you want to catch me Dog Breath!"

Megumi shook her head as the two young men continued to chase each other down the long corridor. She looked down as a tug on her sleeve to find another fox looking at her.

"Megumi-sensei," Sango said. The young girl grinned up at her. Megumi smiled back at the youkai. Shippo's daughter had decided to become a healer, so she spent part of her time training with her and Doctor Genzu, and the rest of the time training in youkai medicine with Shiori and Jinegi.

"Where's the rooster at?" the doctor questioned. Sango smirked as she pointed down the hall.

"He's drinking sake with my father and Saito."

"I see," Megumi said. "Has he caused any trouble?"

"Well…" the girl grinned. "He did get into a fight with Saito-san and Kouga, but Father used his fox magic to tie them up. Then they chased him around the castle until Kagome, Sango, Ayame, and Mother threatened them."

"Where is Kagome anyway?" Kaoru asked.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kagome hummed happily to herself as she changed her new son's clothes. The infant grinned up at her with large golden eyes. Unlike Amaya and Inutari before him, the boy had inherited Inuyasha's silver hair instead of her own raven hair.

"Stop squirming," she admonished. The priestess finished dressing him in a smaller version of Inuyasha's red haori.

"_He's a lot like his father," _Sango said. _"He can't sit still."_

The baby waved his hands and gurbled as his father walked in, followed closely by Kenshin, Kaoru, Kenji, Megumi, Yahiko, and Namu. Inuyasha gave a silly grin as he picked his new child up and swung him around.

"Inuyasha!' Kagome warned. "Be careful with him!"

"Naw, it's okay," Inuyasha replied. "He's a strong little guy." His son grinned back at him.

"What's his name?" Kaoru asked. She and the others smiled at the young infant. Both Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged grins before Inuyasha held his son out to Kenshin.

"Kenshin," Inuyasha said with sudden seriousness. "Meet Shinta."

Kenshin's eyes widened in surprise as he took the child from Inuyasha. Shinta grinned cheerfully up at him and grabbed a small fistful of his namesake's hair.

"We named him after you," Inuyasha said quietly. "Your real name, not Kenshin."

"He's adorable," Kaoru cooed.

"I wanna see!" Kenji insisted. Kenshin smiled and bent down to show Inuyasha and Kagome's child to his son. Kenji and Shinta stared curiously at each other as the adults looked on in amusement.

Suddenly, Shinta's small hand let go of Kenshin's hair and locked on to his son's. Kenji gave a wail as Shinta gave a tug on his red hair and giggled.

"Let go let go!" Kenji demanded. Shinta giggled happily. Kagome and Kaoru sighed as they bent down to dislodge the red hair from Shinta's grasp.

"It looks like the start of a beautiful relationship," Megumi said dryly.

Kaoru picked up Kenji and talked softly with him, telling him that Shinta hadn't meant to hurt him. The red haired boy stopped crying, but he still shot a glare at the silver haired infant.

"_What about you Yahiko?"_ Miroku said slyly. _"When are you and Tsubame going to have children?" _Yahiko's face reddened. He began to sputter and shake his fist at the dead monk.

"We're not even married!" Yahiko yelled.

"_Ah, but you want her to have your children, don't you?" _the monk continued. Yahiko glared dangerously at him as his face deepened into a darker shade of red. Kagome giggled as she leaned close to Kaoru and Megumi.

"He looks so much like Inuyasha when he's embarrassed," she whispered. Inuyasha's ears twitched when he heard that, but wisely chose not to reply.

"_Miroku, leave him alone," _Sango ordered. The monk stopped antagonizing the teenager, lest his wife become angry.

"Let's go into the Main Hall," Kagome suggested. "Misao, Aoshi, and Okina should be here soon." Miroku brightened at the thought of Okina. Perhaps the old man would have some new books to show him.

"Inuyasha," Kenshin said. The hanyou turned around to look at him. Even though Kenshin rarely mentioned it, he knew that he now remembered most of Sesshoumaru's memories. They had spent more than one night discussing their past relationship.

"This one has something for Shinta," Kenshin continued. "It is a gift for him when he is of age, that it is."

"Huh? What is it?" Inuyasha asked. He blinked in surprise as Kenshin unsheathed the Tenseiga and held it out to him. _He's giving up the Tenseiga?_

"I can't accept that, it's yours," Inuyasha insisted. "I can have another sword made for him when he's older. Besides, you might need it." However, Kenshin shook his head.

"No, this one wants Shinta to have it. This one does not entirely know how, but your son is the one who should next wield the Tenseiga. If it must be used before he is old enough, then this one can borrow it, that he can," he said. Inuyasha looked at him before nodding his head and taking the sword. He looked down at it before casting a look at his infant son.

"Look at you, you little brat," Inuyasha said. "You've already got a sword!" Shinta gurbled happily at his father from his vantage point in his mother's arms. Inuyasha smiled and held the Tenseiga next the boy. The sword pulsed once when Shinta touched it curiously and then remained silent.

"Inuyasha," Kenshin continued. "It may also serve to extend Kagome's life a little longer." Inuyasha looked at him in surprise and suddenly understood. The Tenseiga could have extended Kenshin's life and possible even Kaoru's. However, the red haired man wanted to live a normal, peaceful life. There was no guarantee that the sword would also extend his wife's life and Kenshin didn't want to live on after her.

Inuyasha nodded once to show he had understood Kenshin's other meaning.

"_Well,"_ Sango said. _"I suppose we should go meet…" _There was a crash in the hall, followed by Misao's angry yells and Kouga and Sanosuke's hysterical laughter.

"Hey! It's the Weasel!" Kouga yelled.

"I'M NOT A WEASEL!"

"Weasel!" Sano insisted.

Kagome and Kaoru sighed as they heard the argument escalate. They walked out into the hall just in time to hear Saito give a sarcastic reply, followed by an additional witty comment from Shippo. Misao glared around at the men while Aoshi, Kirara, and Okina tried to stay out of the line of fire.

"SHUT UP!" Misao warned. Inuyasha smirked before rushing out to join the fray.

"Hey! Weasel Girl!" the hanyou bellowed. He thumped her lightly over the head to further agitate her.

"AARRGH!" Misao bellowed.

"Weasel Weasel!" Inuyasha continued. Kagome's eye twitched.

"Inuyasha…" she warned. Inuyasha paused as he cast his wife a horrified look.

"No! Wait! Kagome!" he pleaded.

"Sit boy."

Inuyasha plummeted to the castle floor.

……………………………………………………………………………….

_Well, that's the official end of this story. I have three or four mini-chapters to add on. I might also do a sequel in the future, but it would probably be a little while before I did that._

_I'm glad all of you enjoyed this. Thank you for the reviews._


End file.
